I Do
by Rain
Summary: This story takes place five years after Angel left Sunnydale and Buffy. Angel having come through the End of Days, is human now. Cordelia, who is still getting the occassional vision, gets a vision about Buffy that sends Angel to Sunnydale to save her.
1.

Note from Rain: My cousin Sunny wrote this fanfic, I'm just posting it for her because she cannot.  
  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the god of the Buffiverse. I just borrowed his children for some fun. All the characters in this story belong to him, except the evil ones who belong to Rain. Thanks Rain for letting me play with them.  
  
Authors Note: Beware if you are not a B/A fan. This story takes place 5 years after season 4. I started writing this pre-Dawn so she is not in this story. Also, Joyce is still alive and Riley is still in Sunnydale. I would also like to thank Rain for all her work. She is the Queen of the Internet and without her research abilities I would not have been able to finish this story. Enjoy!  
  
I Do  
By Sunny  
  
Prologue  
  
Two mysterious figures in black stood in the shadows surveying the throng of humanity that surged across the walkways of the outdoor shopping center.  
"How about that one?" the smaller figure on the right asked pointing to a young teenage boy with green hair.  
"Conor, he is not she," the larger figure on the left replied. "Besides, all that horrible screeching the young people call music has turned his brain to mush. He would be of no use to us whatsoever. Now, try and remember what we are looking for."  
Conor obediently turned his eyes back to the crowded sidewalk, while privately thinking that today's music was a vast improvement over the stuff that was around in his day.  
"What about that one, Malcolm?" he asked again this time indicating an older woman who had two small kids clinging to her hands. "She is the right sex."  
"Conor, I am surprised at you," Malcolm said in a stern voice. "You know that woman is much too old." Malcolm's filmy, blue eyes continued their restless search of the shoppers. He was looking for someone special, someone young, vital, strong and female. Finally, his eyes lit upon the perfect candidate. He straightened his already imposing figure and pointed at a young, tall, girl with long, dark hair. He moved out of shadows and fell in step with the teeming crowd of teenagers that were flowing through the shopping center.  
Meanwhile, Cordelia, the target of the two in black, stood in the middle of the sidewalk admiring her new purchase. She sighed softly to herself as she turned her wrist this way and that, watching as the diamonds sparkled in the lamplight. It was so nice to be able to afford beautiful things again. She had gone so long without them and all because her father didn't feel like paying the government. She had never been able to understand how he could have ruined her life that way. She had gone from Queen C. to Cinderella. She hadn't enjoyed that at all. But now, now she could have pretty things again. Sure, the diamonds were smaller than she would have liked, but it was all she could afford on her paycheck from the dishwasher commercial. And of course it was much better to receive diamonds from a rich boyfriend than to actually buy them herself. Still a diamond was a diamond no matter how you got it.  
Cordelia finally came to her senses and noticed the big crowd of people who were trying to get around her. She glared at a woman with too many large packages, who bumped into her.  
"Watch it," she admonished the woman.  
The woman turned to Cordy and glared right back. "Well, if you wouldn't stop right in the middle of everything you wouldn't get hit," she said before she pushed herself onward.  
"How rude," Cordelia muttered. The she shrugged her shoulders in dismissal of the woman and continued on her way.  
But disaster, as it often does, lurked in the wings. Cordelia had just turned to head in the direction of a shop that had caught her eye, when it struck. Suddenly and quite unexpectedly Cordelia found herself falling forward. She hurriedly dropped her shopping bags and put both hands forward in an attempt to protect her best feature, her face. Her knees hit the cobbled walkway first and she grimaced as the jarring impact spread through her body. Then an instant later her hands slapped down on the hard pavement. Cordelia fought down a feeling of panic as her elbows buckled and her face continued its descent. She hurriedly locked her elbows and tipped her head back. She managed to halt her forward momentum but was now able to see the people who milled around her laughing and pointing. She closed her eyes in acute embarrassment and wished that the ground would open up and swallow her like Lois Lane in Superman.  
"Are you okay, miss?" a masculine voice asked Queen C. from behind.  
"Yeah, I'm just peachy," Cordelia answered as she turned her head in an attempt to see the form that accompanied the voice. Unfortunately all she could see was her butt sticking straight up into the air. Cordelia groaned and lowered her head the last few inches to rest her forehead on the rough surface of the sidewalk.  
"Do you need some help?" the voice persisted.  
"No," Cordelia said wishing that the guy would just go away and leave her to die of embarrassment in peace.  
"Okay," the guy said and then Cordelia was able to see a pair of black Doc Martins walk past her.  
Cordelia heard several other people snicker at her predicament and tried to see herself from their point of view. She knew that if she had seen some strange girl on her hands and knees with her butt sticking up she would be laughing at her. Or at least the old Cordelia would have laughed. Now, she would probably turn away from the spectacle before succumbing to her laughter. After all she had matured since high school.  
Finally deciding to face down the snickers Cordelia pushed up and raised her front end so that it was higher than her back end. Then trying to be as lady like as possible, since she didn't want to moon the entire shopping center, Cordelia stood up. Her packages were lying spread out around her and she started to retrieve them. She just wanted to get her things and then run home and….Go to sleep? She shook her head trying to figure out where that thought had come from. No, she wanted to go home and bury herself under the covers until ten years had passed. That was how long her shame would live. Homecoming Queens did not trip and fall down in public.  
"Wait a second," Cordy said as she straightened from retrieving another shopping bag. "What exactly did I trip on? Because I know it wasn't my own two feet."  
Cordelia turned and marched back along the path she had taken keeping a sharp lookout for anything that could have caused her fall. Unfortunately, she didn't see anything. The pavement was smooth and new with no cracks or uneven places. There weren't even any foreign objects lying around waiting to trip unsuspecting pedestrians. There was absolutely no reason for her gold metal winning performance in the Gangly Youth Olympics.  
"I must have been pushed," Cordelia surmised since it was inconceivable that she would have tripped over her own feet. With this horribly, embarrassing event properly explained she moved towards the exit of the shopping center and to her car. It was time to go home and go to bed. Suddenly she was very tired.  
Melting back into the shadows the two in black watched as Cordelia made her way towards the exit of the shopping center.  
"She's the one," hissed Malcolm as he watched Cordelia cautiously make her way to her car. "She will lead us to our salvation."  
"She is the Slayer?" Conor asked.  
"No, she is not the Slayer, but she will lead us to her."  



	2. 

Note from Rain: My cousin Sunny wrote this fanfic, I'm just posting it for her because she cannot.  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the god of the Buffiverse. I just borrowed his children for some fun. All the characters in this story belong to him, except the evil ones who belong to Rain. Thanks Rain for letting me play with them.  
  
  
Chapter One  
By Sunny  
  
  
"I can't believe she is getting married," Cordelia cried as she stomped into the office slamming the door behind her. She walked rapidly over to her desk, which was occupied by a gentleman who hadn't heard a word she said. "I said, I can't believe she is getting married," she repeated. Cordelia crossed her arms across her chest and glared at the man.  
"What?" Wesley asked without even bothering to look up from the book he was studying intently.  
Cordelia muttered something under her breath about losers who had nothing better to do than hang around and annoy her. Then she said for the third time, "I can't believe she is getting married."  
"Oh," Wesley said. He closed the book he was looking at and reached for another one still not looking up.  
"I mean sure he's been human for a whole six months now, but you wouldn't know it by looking at him. Still wearing black, still doing the disappearing act during the day, and especially still brooding. You would think he would be all happy about being human. Running as fast as he can to his beloved, and now she's getting married. I just can't believe her," Cordelia said. She slumped down on the sofa since it didn't look like Wesley was going to be vacating his seat in her chair any time soon. "And she didn't even invite me. I always knew she was selfish."  
"What?" Wesley screeched. This time Cordelia had his full attention. "Who?"  
"Who, what?" Cordelia asked innocently.  
"Who is getting married?"  
"I mean sure we aren't the best of friends, but I was part of her Scooby gang during my insanity period that is known as Alexander Harris. I think I deserve an invite for helping her out don't you? I mean eww parts."  
"Buffy is getting married?" Wesley asked his mouth staying open in astonishment. Realizing this he snapped his mouth closed. In a typical ex-Watcher manner he took off his glasses and began to polish them with a handkerchief. "Buffy Summers is getting married?"  
"Yeah," Cordelia replied in a subdued tone of voice.  
"How do you know?"  
"I had a vision," Cordelia explained.  
"So there is going to be something bad happening at this wedding?" Wesley asked. Ever since Angel's sidekick Doyle had died Cordelia had been getting his migraine headache vision thingies. They always meant trouble.  
"No," Cordelia said distractedly. She was still brooding over the fact that she hadn't been invited to the wedding. She was so over the fact that she hated Buffy. Besides she loved weddings and, she loved rubbing other people's noses in her fame and fortune. If you considered guest spots on situation comedies and teen angst dramas to be fame and fortune.  
"But I thought you said you saw this in a vision?" Wesley asked. He was really confused now. Although, he almost always seemed to be confused when he spoke with Cordelia. After five years of working together he still hadn't gotten used to her way of jumping on and off topic.  
"Well, it wasn't a vision exactly," Cordelia said. She got up off the sofa and made her way to the coffee machine.  
"What was it exactly?" Wesley asked through clenched teeth as he watched Cordelia pour herself a cup of coffee. Sometimes getting information out of Cordelia was like trying to get Angel to stop brooding.  
"You know the PTB could have given me those nice pain free dream visions years ago. Believe me they are much better than the migraine headaches I've gotten almost every day for five years."  
"It was only a dream?" Wesley asked relief coloring his voice. If it had been true he didn't know how he was going to tell Angel. He knew that Angel still loved Buffy, knew that he would always love Buffy. What he didn't know was why Angel hadn't gone to Buffy as soon as he had become human.  
"No, it wasn't only a dream. It was a vision. Yes, pain free, but that doesn't mean its not going to happen," Cordelia snapped. She sounded frustrated. In fact she was almost always frustrated when she talked to Wesley. It seemed like he always wandered away somewhere in his mind about half way into the conversation. She ended up repeating herself, a lot.  
"How do you know this was a vision? You said yourself, that it wasn't your typical, excruciating pain filled vision."  
"I just know. Besides I called Aura who still lives in Sunnydale and she confirmed it. Buffy Summers is getting married to one Riley Finn tomorrow afternoon at 3pm."  
"She's getting married tomorrow!" Wesley's voice rose an octave in his disbelief.  
"Yeah." Cordelia looked at Wesley and then whispered into the silence, "What are we going to do?"  
****  
Two floors up in the new apartment that Cordelia had insisted that he get (because he was human now and he should start living like a human) Angel was just getting out of bed. He still wasn't quite used to this whole being awake in the daytime thing. Besides, even though he had stopped the End of Days there were still demons to fight. And demon fighting took place at night. I may be human but nothing has really changed, Angel thought as he padded over to his refrigerator and took out a bottle of OJ. Well, maybe some things have changed. Angel laughed at himself, and then tipped the container back and took a swig of the juice. He didn't use a lot of water when he mixed the juice so it was thick and syrupy. It reminded him of the pig's blood he used to drink before he had become human again. It was the only thing that helped him with the blood cravings he still got. He sighed as he remembered the first few weeks of his new humanity. He had eaten everything in sight, but he still felt the need to feed on human blood. It was taking entirely too long to get over his blood lust. In the following months the cravings had lessened but it was still there. Especially after a fight. Now, if I could only get rid of my other craving. One word floated into his head accompanied by a beautiful face and loving blue eyes. Buffy.  
  
******  
"What do you mean, 'what are we going to do'?" Wesley asked. "We are going to tell Angel."  
"Do we have to?" Cordelia walked over to Wesley and gave him a gentle shove. Wesley immediately got out of her chair and walked around the desk to sit in a facing chair.  
"Of course we have to. Don't you think he should know?"  
"I don't know. Do you think he even cares? Sure, he's been brooding, but do we even know that it's about Buffy. Maybe he's over her," Cordelia pointed out. Of course she didn't really believe that, but she decided to be hopeful.  
"You don't really believe that do you?"  
"No."  
"Well then I guess you'll just have to tell him when he shows up, won't you? By the way why isn't he here?" Wesley asked as he stood up and reached across the desk to take Cordelia's coffee mug off of the 300-year-old book.  
"He had some demon thing to kill late last night so he is probably still sleeping. He should be in by late this afternoon," Cordelia said responding to the second part of  
Wesley's question. Then she looked at him closely as the first part of his statement sank into her brain. "Hey, why do I have to tell him?"  
"You've known him longer," Wesley said. With his British accent he made it sound like a plausible reason. "Besides, I won't be here. I have some more research to do. Angel still has some questions about his newfound humanity and any loop holes that might turn up,"  
Wesley added because he knew Cordelia wouldn't go for his first excuse.  
"I always get the dirty job. First parts, now breaking my boss's heart," Cordelia replied.  
"I don't get paid enough for this." Wesley just shook his head as he collected his books and left the office to continue his research.  
  
********  
  
Angel blinked several times and shook his head to scatter the memories to the deepest regions of his mind. There was no use dwelling on them, they only brought pain. Slowly he looked down at himself and was amazed to find that he was still wearing the black silk pajama bottoms he had slipped on after getting out of bed. How long have I been sitting here, he wondered his eyes restlessly searching for a clock. Oh my God, its been an hour.  
He got up off the couch and walked into the bathroom. He looked into the mirror and was not very surprised to see the traces of tears on his cheeks. The memories almost always did that to him. Angel turned on the faucet and splashed his face with cold water. Then he shed the only piece of clothing he was wearing and got into the shower. It was time to start another day, even if he didn't want to. He had to check in with Cordelia to see if she had had any visions. Of course since the End of Days they had become less frequent. He knew Cordelia would be glad if she never got another one, but it kept him busy. And busy was good because then he couldn't think about Buffy. It was much better when he was fighting something. The days and nights when he wasn't trying to save someone were the loneliest days and nights of his life. He always thought that when he became human he would be able to finally be happy. Of course being human had meant being with Buffy, but he just couldn't do that to her. He wasn't sure this whole human thing was going to stick. He didn't want it to end up like the last time he had been human. He didn't want to cause anyone any more pain. He didn't want to have his taste of happiness turn out with him becoming a monster again.  
What I seem to be cursed with is a lack of happiness Angel thought bitterly as he stepped out of the shower and toweled off. Still wearing black, still brooding about a life I can't have. Angel walked over to his closet and looked at the row of neatly hung black pants and dark colored shirts. He pulled out a pair of pants and his brightest shirt in royal blue. Still worried that I might hurt someone I love more than life itself by acting on my desires. I would die before I hurt her again which means I will die of loneliness and sorrow because I can't have her. Angel shook his head again, spraying water droplets from his hair into the air. "Enough of this brooding," Angel said into the stillness. "Time to join the living." Sometimes he honestly forgot he was the living now. Angel stalked over to the door of his apartment and wrenched it open. He walked through the doorway still buttoning his shirt, and over to the elevator. "Lets just see what Cordelia and Wesley are up to." Angel got into the elevator and prepared to start another lonely day without the one person who made his newfound life worth living.  
  
********  
  
She had that look on her face again. The look he hated to see. It could only mean she was thinking about Angel. "What's wrong?" Riley asked as he came over to take a box from Buffy and place it with the others near the door of her bedroom.  
Buffy turned away from him and said, "Nothing is wrong. Why do you ask?"  
"You look sad." I knew she would lie to me.  
"Well, I am a little sad to be leaving this window behind," Buffy said as she stared out the window of her bedroom, the window that was a link to her life with Angel. "I really enjoyed climbing in and out of it. You know sneaking out to all of those wild parties at the cemetery, going on all night trips to the Sunnydale High School library. Sneaking out of it to spend time with Angel. I was really out of control in my teen years. Did you know I torched the gym at Hemery High?" Buffy's voice was laced with humor. She was hoping that she could distract Riley and herself from the true subject of her brooding. Angel.  
Glib, she is definitely thinking about HIM. "Since you obviously have such fond memories of this window why don't you pack it," Riley returned. He slipped behind Buffy and put his arms around her. He loved the feel of her in his arms. That was the only time she felt like she was really with him.  
Buffy just shook her head. She was trying to rid her mind of Angel standing by that window telling her how much he wanted to kiss her. She didn't want that memory anymore. It was a hindrance to the new life she was trying to build. She didn't want to remember the first kiss they had ever shared the kiss that had transferred her soul into his keeping, the kiss that had made her his girl forever. Buffy closed her eyes and replayed that scene her head. The wonderful toe curling kiss and then the revelation of his true face. His demon face. Her body still remembered the pain and confusion she felt as he had scrambled out this same window after revealing himself to her. And then because she had continued to love him it had all turned to badness. Involuntarily, she shuddered as she remembered waking up one morning to find a present from Angelus. Her lover and protector had turned into her nightmare, terrorizing her, playing with her. He had used this window to make her love him and then to make her hate him. Even now the guilt she felt over his turning clawed at her stomach.  
  
"No, I think I'll leave it here" Buffy said sadly as she snuggled closer to Riley.  
Sometimes when Riley held her she was able to forget about Angel for minutes at a time. And she desperately wanted to forget. She didn't want to still feel his arms around her when she closed her eyes at night. She didn't want to remember the feel of his lips as he softly kissed her forehead. She didn't want to remember his long legs and gorgeous body unfolding as he came through this window. But most of all she didn't want to remember sneaking out of the window and running away. Running away from the unbearable ache that was inside her. The ache caused by having betrayed her lover just as he had been returned to her. She was still recovering from that. She had heard once that a person's eyes were the window to their soul, but this window was the portal to her soulmate.  
  
"Good because I think it would be really hard to pack," Riley returned. He had caught the sadness in Buffy's tone and wanted to lighten the mood. Buffy just smiled at the image of them reflected in the window and didn't say anything.  
  
Riley rested his chin on Buffy's head as she stood staring out the window that Angel had crept in and out of so many times. With her new life stretching out before her she could only think about the past and of her soulmate who she couldn't be with. I have to stop thinking about him. Our love can never be. I have this wonderful man who adores me and he wants to spend the rest of his life with me. He won't leave me claiming it's for my own good. This, Buffy Summers is a good man. Stop thinking about something that can never be and get on with your life. Live the happily ever after that you have always wanted, like a normal human being. So Buffy turned in Riley's arms and reached up to pull his head down to hers. She was going to make this new life work. She wasn't going to hope for miracles anymore. Angel was never going to come for her. It was time to move on.  
  
******  
  
"Well, I guess its finally time to move on," Angel managed after being completely silent for five minutes. Cordelia's shocking announcement was still bounding around in his head. Buffy is getting married. Buffy is getting married.  
  
"You guess its time to move on?" Cordelia asked surprised by Angel's reaction. She couldn't believe that was all he had to say. "Aren't you going to Sunnydale?"  
  
"And what exactly would that accomplish, Cordelia?" Angel asked. He swallowed several times hoping the lump in his throat would disappear. He didn't want to start crying. Not now, not in front of his friend. Maybe later when he was alone he could let himself grieve for something that finally could never be. All hope was gone. He hadn't even realized that he had held out hope of having Buffy in his life until it was too late.  
  
"You could stop the wedding. Tell her you love her. I am sure you could steal her away from some guy named Riley Finn. I mean what kind of name is that anyway. She will be Buffy Finn. That sounds like some kind of new fish. If you just told her how you felt it could be your wedding and then she would be Buffy..Um.. Mrs. Angel…," Cordelia trailed off realizing that her ramblings were not helping at all. Besides she didn't even know Angel's last name. Did he even have a last name. "Do you even have a last name?"  
  
"I did once," Angel said. Then he looked up at her with pain in his eyes. More pain than usual anyway and asked, "So she is marrying Riley, huh?" I knew I didn't like that guy. Angel had run in to him once a long time ago. They had fought, neither one really getting the better of the other. Buffy had not been amused. In fact she had threatened to put them both in the hospital. Angel smiled a small sad smile as he remembered the last time he had seen her. I should have taken her in my arms then, when we were alone in the hallway. I should have told her that I loved her and that I wanted her in my life. I should never have left her to be with him. Now it's too late. Angel closed his eyes as waves of pain finally washed over him leaving him numb. He didn't even hear Cordelia's answer or Wesley's entrance into the office.  
  
"He's bad," Cordelia said to Wesley answering his silent question. "At first he was all Mr. Calm, but now…" Cordelia waved her hand in front of Angel's face and shrugged when she got no response.  
  
"Then maybe we should leave him alone," Wesley said grabbing Cordelia's arm and dragging her away from the office. "You don't think he'll do anything dangerous, do you?"  
  
"What like go storming off to Sunnydale?" Cordelia asked. Wesley just raised his eyebrows. "Not a chance," she huffed in return. "He said he thought it was finally time to move on."  
  
"Well, maybe he's right," Wesley said thoughtfully.  
  
"Look Wesley, I know you weren't around them for very long, but they will never be able to move on. The whole tortured love thing is kind of their deal," Cordelia explained. She let her head fall back against the back of the chair she was sitting in. Telling Angel the news had drained her. She really hated getting all emotional. It made her tired and cranky. Cordelia hid a giant yawn behind her hand. I am really tired, she thought struggling to keep her eyes open.  
  
"It looks as though Buffy has managed to move on," Wesley pointed out in the superior way he had. Cordelia just glared at him, which prompted him to add somewhat defensively,  
"Well, she IS getting married."  
  
Cordelia sighed and said, "That is only because she doesn't know that they can be together now."  
  
"Then he should tell her."  
  
"Tell him," Cordelia replied jerking her thumb in the direction of the office. Wesley stood up and headed for Angel's office with Cordelia following close behind, but Angel was gone. He had managed to sneak out while they had been talking. "I hate when he does that," Cordelia said. She picked up her purse and headed for the door holding back another yawn. "I guess I'll go home now. I feel absolutely exhausted. Breaking bad news to people is really tiring. I just know I'll get wrinkles from all this frowning."  
  
Wesley shook his head and sat down at the desk to wait for Angel. He had to try and convince his stubborn friend that he had to go to Sunnydale. Angel would never truly be happy without Buffy, and he wanted his best friend to be very happy. He deserves a little happiness after 250 years without it.  
  
*******  
  
Angel stalked along the dark streets of LA just hoping for a fight. His mood was blacker than the leather duster that billowed behind him and he wanted, no needed some good old-fashioned violence. He had a rage building within him that would soon need an outlet. Unfortunately, the numbness had worn off leaving a murderous rage behind. He wasn't angry with Buffy, he could never be really angry with her, but he was definitely livid at Fate. Fate had given him his precious humanity just a little too late. Suddenly a dark figure moved out of the shadows and faced the former vampire. It snarled in recognition. Angel had killed its mate a few months ago and the demon had been stalking him hoping for revenge.  
  
"You have picked the wrong night to be out alone," the demon stated as it began to circle Angel in a predatory manner.  
  
"And you have picked the wrong night for your revenge," Angel replied. Angel lunged at the demon catching it by surprise. His fist connected with the beast's horned head sending it sprawling on the ground. The demon swung his arm out in an arc hoping to connect with Angel's legs. Angel managed to jump back thus avoiding the attack on his limbs. He hauled the demon to his feet and then set him free. "Is that the best you can do," he taunted. He really wanted a knock down drag out fight.  
  
Again the demon circled Angel looking for an advantage. "You killed my wife," the demon said.  
  
"I am aware of that," Angel replied. He didn't want to bond with this guy, he just wanted to fight him. Suddenly the demon gave a loud shriek and ran at Angel. He pointed his deadly looking horns at Angel's midsection and began to pick up speed. Angel, not wanting to be pierced by the ends of the nasty looking skewers turned and ran. If I was still a vampire I would stand my ground, he thought as he ran into the shadows. Then he stopped, turned and scanned the area for the demon.  
  
"Come out and fight like a man," the demon said. "I need to kill you before I can be with my lover."  
  
Angel stepped out of the shadow of the building that he had been hiding in. In his hand he had a small but deadly looking dagger. He just hoped it would be enough to kill his foe. He slunk in behind the larger demon and tapped him on the shoulder, punching him in the face as it swung around. Then because he was boiling inside he continued to use the demon's face as a punching bag. In his mind's eye he saw Riley's face, his smug face, as he taunted Angel with the knowledge that he had won Buffy. "I am going to be with her the rest of her life. I will be the one to comfort her when she is upset. I will be the one who gets to make love to her, holding her in my arms after the passion is spent," the imaginary Riley taunted. "You gave up that right, and now it will be mine forever." Angel growled low in his throat and momentarily closed his eyes at the image that had planted itself into his brain.  
  
Unfortunately, he still had a very angry demon to fight. Seeing that his opponent had dropped his guard, the demon swung around letting his flying arms connect with Angel's head. Angel stepped back in surprise, finally remembering that he wasn't fighting Riley. The demon followed, bunching up his fists and letting them fly. The first punch landed hitting Angel in the stomach. Letting out a grunt Angel used his arms to block the second fist, which was aimed at his face. Around and around the two circled each landing blows on the other. Finally, getting tired of the game the demon again came at Angel with his lowered horns. Angel stood his ground and aimed a kick at the demon's rapidly advancing head, hitting him squarely between the eyes. One of the horns managed to nick Angel in the leg before the demon fell to the ground. Angel used this opportunity to bury the dagger into the beast's chest, sending him to be with his lover. Even this monster gets a happily ever after, Angel thought. As suddenly as it had come the rage left him leaving only a deep sorrow. Angel stumbled to the building and slid down the wall sobbing his very human heart out as his body lay shuddering in a puddle.  
  
*****  
  
Meanwhile, back in Sunnydale, Buffy was fighting demons as well. Actually she was fighting vampires. At least she thought they were vampires.  
"What are you anyway?" Buffy asked as she hit one of the vamps, or whatever in the side of it's enormous, pale head.  
"We are your worst nightmare," the other whatever answered as it lunged at Buffy. The demon's fist connected with her shoulder and spun her around from the force of it.  
"Hardly original," Buffy replied. She turned just in time to see one of the demons fly towards her hoping to catch her in the back. She allowed the demon to knock her to the ground tucking her legs up as the demon fell on top of her. She kicked out with both legs and sent the whatever flying into the air. Buffy jumped up and searched the cemetery looking for the things she had just been fighting.  
"Until later," they taunted as they ran between the headstones, "when we will finish you off."  
"In your dreams," Buffy screamed after them. She wanted to chase them but she knew the sun was going to be coming up soon. It could wait until tomorrow night.  
"No, Slayer, in yours," came the reply on a whisper of the wind. She wasn't actually sure she had heard correctly.  
"I guess I'd better go find Giles." Those were the strangest looking vamps she had ever seen. And she had seen a lot of vamps in her time on the Hellmouth. Buffy picked her way through the cemetery looking for any vampires that might be still prowling around in search of a late night snack. She didn't usually patrol this late, but she had a lot on her mind and couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Angel. Sometimes he was telling her how much he loved her and other times he was turning away from her and leaving her.  
"Oh!" Buffy exclaimed stopping in her tracks. She turned back to the cemetery hoping to find the odd looking demons she had just fought. "I can't kill them tomorrow, it's my Wedding Day. Guess it will be a job for Giles and the Slayerettes." Buffy resumed her walk heading in the direction of Giles' apartment.  
Buffy arrived at Giles' home without running into any more demons and tapped on the door. Then she knocked on the door, then pounded. Finally as she was about to turn away a very sleepy but grumpy Watcher opened the door. "This had better be a dire emergency," he managed to ground out as he held the door open wide for his Slayer.  
Sheepishly Buffy remembered that it was about 4 in the morning and she was probably the only one who couldn't sleep. She knew she had left Willow back in her room asleep. Willow had flown in from England where she was continuing her post-graduate work and they had spent the last couple of days together. Even having an old-fashioned slumber party on this the night before her wedding. In her restlessness Buffy had crept out her bedroom window for the last time and gone patrolling.  
"Sorry, Giles, I forgot it was so late," Buffy apologized as she crossed the threshold. "I couldn't sleep so I went patrolling and ran into something funky."  
"Funky?" Giles asked raising his eyebrows. He was quite certain he would never get used to Buffy's use of slang.  
"Yeah, these vamps were really weird looking. At least I think they were vamps," Buffy explained. She strolled over to her Watcher's desk and began to fiddle with his letter opener. "Weird looking in the sense of no pointy teeth, no bumpy faces and really big heads."  
"Did you kill them?" Giles wondered. He walked over to her and took the letter opener out of her restless hands. He had some bad memories concerning Buffy and a letter opener.  
"No, and that is probably the strangest part about all of this. They tag teamed me and then just disappeared. Giles, it was a hit, run and taunt."  
"Taunt?" Again the eyebrows raised.  
"Yeah. They said they would be back to kill me. I suggested that it would happen only in their dreams. They countered with no, in mine. At least I think they did," Buffy said. She rubbed the back of her neck showing her stress. "Giles, they got away."  
"Well, you'll just kill them tomorrow night. Oh no wait you can't can you?" Giles said turning red with embarrassment. He hadn't meant to forget Buffy was getting married. In fact it was a very important day for him as well. Buffy had asked him to give her away.  
"No, I can't. But Giles, don't you think it's funky that they just left like that?" Buffy asked around a sudden yawn. "Are there any prophecies that I should be concerned about?"  
"Buffy, we checked into that before you set your wedding date. Now, don't worry about this. They probably felt that they couldn't kill you by themselves. Maybe they are waiting for reinforcements. Xander and I will take care of them tomorrow night. Now, you had better get home and get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be very busy," Giles said gently shoving Buffy towards the door.  
Buffy yawned again and protested, "Giles, vamps don't usually think like that. Its all kill, kill, kill."  
"Well, maybe they are smart vampires," Giles suggested. He really wanted Buffy to leave so he could get back to sleep. It was 4 in the morning after all.  
"Oh and Giles," Buffy said spinning around to face her friend and mentor. "They didn't open their mouths when they talked." Now why had she just remembered that important detail? She hadn't noticed this while she had been fighting them.  
"Hm interesting. They must have been telepathic," Giles replied. He stopped pushing Buffy towards the door long enough to let his eyes wander to a stack of books he had piled by the stairs. Then he shook his head and resumed his prodding of Buffy. It was too early to worry about the mystery. He would just have to work on it tomorrow. Oh, right, wedding tomorrow.  
Buffy yawned again. Realizing she had just about enough energy to make it home she allowed Giles to push her out the door. "Well, I guess we can talk more about it tomorrow. You and Xander will be careful while I am gone on my honeymoon, won't you?"  
"Yes," Giles said just before he shut the door in Buffy's face. Stifling another yawn Buffy headed for home to collapse into her bed next to the still sleeping form of Willow.  
  
******  
  
The next morning after having spent the whole night wandering the streets, Angel walked into the lobby of his hotel and tried to sneak past Wesley. He knew his friend would want to talk to him about Buffy, but he just couldn't deal with that right now. His knees and elbows were still wet from the puddle and what he really needed was a shower and a change of clothing. Something other than black, Angel thought with a curl of his lip.  
"Angel is that you?" came the soft inquiry from behind the counter.  
Angel sighed and answered, "Yes Wesley, but I am not in the mood for any discussions. I just want to be left alone."  
"I think you should go to Sunnydale and tell Buffy about your humanity," Wesley stated popping up from the chair where he had fallen asleep.  
"No. I am not going to disrupt her life again," Angel said. He knew Wesley would not be able to stop himself from butting in. "She made the decision to move on. Its what I wanted for her. It's why I left her."  
"Yes, she made the decision to move on, but she didn't have all the facts. I think she deserves to have all the facts before she ties herself to someone she doesn't really love."  
"She wouldn't be marrying him if she didn't love him," Angel replied. A physical pain lodged itself in his stomach and he didn't think it had anything to do with the fact that he hadn't eaten anything in over 24 hours.  
"Maybe, but why don't you give her all the facts and then let her make the decision to move on," Wesley stated. It all sounded so reasonable to him, but like Cordelia said these two were all about tortured love.  
"Wesley, I am going now," Angel announced as he turned away from his friend. Someone he thought of as his brother.  
"What to Sunnydale? I have convinced you then?"  
"No, I am going upstairs to take a shower. Then I am going to go shopping. I really need to get some new clothes," Angel answered.  
"Oh my God, I saw this shirt at Neiman Marcus that I thought would be perfect for you," Cordelia gushed as she came up behind Angel. "It was slate blue and silk. It would go so perfect with a nice pair of khaki pants. You must keep the leather duster though. Very sexy." Cordelia continued to ramble about all the best shops in town. Then she stopped and looked at Angel. "Wait there was something important I had to tell you."  
Angel raised his eyebrows and looked at his other friend. Sometimes she could be so exasperating, but he loved her. "Well?" he prompted.  
"Quiet," Cordelia snapped. Her brow was furrowed in deep concentration. "This is all your fault you know. All that talk about new clothes distracted me. I have it," She finally said a smile lighting up her whole face. "I had another dream vision."  
"Are you sure it was a vision?" Wesley asked. He was a little skeptical about all of these dream visions. He didn't understand why the PTB hadn't used them a long time ago.  
"Yes, it felt the same as the last one, and that one is coming true," Cordelia replied.  
"What did you see?" Angel asked. He wanted to stop the fight he could see brewing. These two were worse than little kids or maybe an old married couple.  
"Buffy." Angel winced at this and then waited for Cordelia to continue. "She wasn't looking very happy either. In fact she looked awful. I'll admit that she isn't the poster child for Vogue Magazine, but she doesn't usually look this bad. Angel, you have to go to her. This marriage is a big mistake. He isn't going to make her happy. And you aren't going to be happy either."  
"I can't," Angel said the tone of his voice tortured. "I promised her I wouldn't show up in her life again unless she was in danger."  
"Well, she is in danger," Cordelia told him. "She is in danger of making the biggest mistake of her life."  
Angel turned away from the confused faces of his family. They didn't understand. How could they? They hadn't lost their soul and done the unspeakable things that he had done. As Buffy had once told him, she understood, because he had done them to her. He had hurt her badly, and he was scared that if he allowed himself to be happy with her he would hurt her again.  
Wesley walked up behind Angel and put his hand on his shoulder. "I know you are scared about becoming a monster again, but I have been researching this for the last six months. I think this is going to stick. You will be a human being for the rest of your life," he said. During the night, while he was waiting for Angel, Wesley had had time to figure out a few mysteries. It had finally come to him, before he fell asleep that Angel was scared of happiness. He didn't trust that he would be allowed to be happy. That's why he hadn't gone to Buffy when he had become human.  
"Unless, you get bit by a vampire," Cordelia added ever honest. Then realizing that maybe honesty was not the best policy in this situation she backtracked. "Not that that is ever going to happen, again. Look, I think Wesley is right."  
Angel and Wesley both interrupted her to say, "You do!"  
Cordelia rolled her eyes and continued. "I mean you fight other peoples' demons everyday. Don't you think it is time you defeated your own?"  
Angel stared in wonder at his friends and then a smile began to spread across his face. Maybe they were right. Maybe happiness was attainable. Maybe he had finally made amends for all the wrong he had done and he could now grab onto life with both hands. "Come on Cordelia, let's go shopping. And then on to Sunnydale," Angel said a smile of pure joy lighting up his face. A smile that actually reached his brown eyes causing them to glow a soft chocolate brown.  
  



	3. 

Note from Rain: My cousin Sunny wrote this fanfic, I'm just posting it for her because she cannot.  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the god of the Buffiverse. I just borrowed his children for some fun. All the characters in this story belong to him, except the evil ones who belong to Rain. Thanks Rain for letting me play with them.  
  
  
CHAPTER TWO  
  
Buffy stood nervously at the entrance to the church. Willow had just walked down the aisle and her mentor and Watcher was standing by her side waiting for the wedding march to begin. She looked down the aisle at Riley waiting for her. But something didn't feel right. Buffy frowned trying to figure out where the feeling was coming from.  
  
"Buffy is something wrong?" Giles asked noticing the frown on her face.  
  
"No. I…." Buffy trailed off. How could she explain this feeling to Giles when she couldn't even explain it to herself? She looked around the vestibule of the church as she added, "I just didn't sleep well last night." Which was true. In fact she was positive she had had a nightmare. I just wish I could remember what it was about. It seemed important. Willow had woken Buffy up telling her that she had been screaming in her sleep. She had been trying to remember her dream ever since.  
  
"I guess that's our cue," Giles said placing Buffy's arm on his.  
  
"What?" Buffy asked. She was still distracted by her certainty that something wasn't right. "Oh, right. Time to go." Buffy realized that they had started to play her song. She removed the frown from her face and plastered a smile on in its place. She didn't want to begin her marriage with a frown on her face. Giles and Buffy moved forward to the strains of the wedding march. Buffy looked at Riley and noted the stunned expression on his face. Her fake smile turned into a genuine one. She had been hoping for that reaction when she had bought the dress. She arrived at the altar and Giles transferred her hand into Riley's keeping. Buffy gave him a glowing smile before she turned her attention back to Riley and the minister.  
  
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to witness the marriage of these two people," the minister began.  
Suddenly the hairs on t  
he back of her neck stood on end. Something was definitely not right. Buffy stiffened in response but kept the smile on her face for Riley's benefit. The minister continued his speech but Buffy had stopped listening. Her Slayer senses were on alert and she couldn't let the nasal tones of his voice distract her.  
  
"If any man can show just cause why these two may not be joined in Holy Matrimony let them speak now or forever hold their peace," the minister said. The quiet almost, tomb-like silence of the church was broken by a man's voice saying, "I can."  
  
At the sound of that familiar voice Buffy spun around dropping Riley's hand. She searched the shadows of the church until she saw Angel standing at the back near the doors. They locked eyes and Angel began to move towards her with a purposeful stride.  
  
"Oh goody it's Dead Boy," Xander mumbled from his place beside Riley. Both Riley and Buffy had asked him to be a groomsman.  
  
Willow caught Xander's eye from her side of the altar and glared at him. She didn't think his unusual brand of humor would be welcome just now. In fact she didn't think there was anything funny here at all. Poor Riley, she thought as she glanced at him noticing the stunned expression on his face.  
  
Buffy didn't take her eyes off of Angel, not even to glare at her best friend for his rude comment. She hesitantly took a few steps towards her former lover as he continued his walk up the aisle. Her mind was too numb with shock at seeing him after five years to wonder why he was here. Buffy took a few more steps towards Angel and away from Riley finally stopping in a ray of sunlight that was streaming through the stained glass windows.  
  
"Young man, who are you and what are you doing here?" the minister asked. No one had ever interrupted one of his weddings before. He was a little shocked.  
  
"My name is Angel and this woman belongs to me," Angel said. His smile came out more like a grimace and his breaths were coming in shallow gasps. He hadn't laid eyes on Buffy for five years. She looks more beautiful than I remember, he thought with awe. He stopped about 12 inches from Buffy and just feasted on her face. He felt like he had been living in a desert and had finally come across on oasis.  
  
"Or maybe it's 'Oh goody it's ex-Dead Boy'," Xander said commenting on the fact that Angel was standing in a direct shaft of sunlight and hadn't gone up like a torch yet.  
  
Buffy noticed this at the same time and her eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She took two more steps in Angel's direction and stopped directly in front of him. Cautiously, she reached up a trembling hand and placed it on his slate blue silk clad chest. To her utter amazement she felt his heart pounding. His heart is beating! She looked up at him a question in her beautiful eyes and said, "Angel?"  
  
At the same time another young woman was saying his name. Actually she was screaming it from the back of the church where she was overtaken by the beginnings of a very painful migraine headache vision thingy.  
  
  
  
********  
  
Cordelia's scream echoed throughout the church and caused most of the people present to turn and look towards the vestibule. Angel, Buffy and Riley however, were too intent on each other to notice anything else. Angel reached out to stroke Buffy's cheek. He could hardly believe she was standing right in front of him. He expected her to disappear when he tried to touch her. She didn't. Buffy tilted her head to rest her cheek in the palm of his hand and just smiled at him.  
  
"Angel!" came another insistent voice from the back. This time it was Wesley. Cordelia had fallen to the ground and was writhing on the floor in pain.  
  
This second shout penetrated Angel's haze, but he still struggled to turn himself away from Buffy. "Angel, its Cordelia," Wesley repeated. He was really scared for her. He had never seen her like this before. This seemed to snap the three out of their trance and Angel turned and began to walk towards the back of the church.  
  
Buffy sensing that something important was going on started to follow him. Besides she didn't want to let Angel out of her sight. He might leave again. However, Riley, who had reached her side, put out a restraining hand and laid it on her arm. He couldn't let her follow HIM. She might never come back. Buffy turned, glared at her husband-to-be and shook off his hand. Then she followed Angel up the aisle. She wasn't about to let anything stand in the way of her Slayer duties, although, she felt a little guilty about leaving Riley at the altar. Riley, who wasn't going to be left out, followed her. Willow, Xander and Giles followed behind Riley because it seemed like the thing to do. Although, Xander was willing to admit that it was pure curiosity on his part.  
  
Angel reached Cordelia and knelt on the ground beside her. He murmured words of comfort into her ear hoping to reach her, but she continued to writhe on the floor oblivious to the people around her.  
  
Buffy was the next to reach the back with Riley hot on her heels. She was shocked at the sight that met her eyes. Briefly she glanced at Wesley then returned her gaze to Angel sitting with Cordy's head cradled in his lap. "What's wrong?" she asked in a hushed voice. Riley stood behind her and was quickly joined by the rest of the Scooby Gang.  
  
"She's having a vision," Wesley explained. Angel was still intent on reaching  
Cordelia and bringing her out of the vision. "It must be a bad one because I have never seen her like this."  
  
"Is she going to be okay?" Xander asked. He hadn't set eyes on Cordelia in over 5 years, but suddenly it felt like she had never left. He was actually scared for her.  
  
"I don't know," Wesley said.  
  
Willow tactfully closed the doors leaving the group in private. She didn't think Cordelia would want the rest of the church to see her rolling around on the floor.  
  
Suddenly Buffy raised her head from the sight of Cordelia's pain wracked body and glared at Angel. "Is this why you came?" she asked him. "Because of some vision." She had been hoping that he had really come to claim her. She should have known better, though. He was the best at coming to save her life, but the worst at staying around to be in it.  
  
"What?" Angel asked looking up from Cordy's face in confusion. He hadn't been paying attention to the conversation that had been going on around him. He was really worried about Cordelia. There had been only one other time that the visions had affected her like this, and she had ended up in the psychiatric ward of the hospital tied to a bed. He was also worried that he would have to go back to LA to kill the demon Cordy was seeing in her vision. He didn't want to leave Buffy here with Riley. He had found her again and he was never going to let her go.  
  
" If you came here to help me out because of some vision Cordelia had then you can give the information to Giles and go back to LA. I don't need your help," Buffy said. Her expression was rigid with anger and her eyes were colder than Angel had ever seen them, except when she had been looking at Angelus. They were Slayer eyes.  
  
Cordelia's body went limp much to the relief of everyone present, but she still did not regain consciousness. Angel gently laid her head back onto the tile floor and stood taking Buffy a little away from the others. He ignored Riley's glare. "I won't lie to you, Buffy," Angel said. "I did come here because of a vision that Cordelia had."  
  
Angel did not get a chance to finish the statement because Buffy turned away from him and went to rejoin others. Angel ran his hand through his hair in frustration and followed her.  
  
"Giles, get the details about Cordy's vision from Angel and then fill me in," Buffy said pointedly ignoring all of Angel's attempts to speak with her again. She reached up and started taking out the pins that held her veil in place. "I am going home to change my clothes. We'll meet up at the magic shop in about an hour."  
  
Before Buffy could reach the door to leave Riley grabbed her hand and pulled her back towards him. She was really getting tired of being grabbed. She shook him off and vowed that the next person to grab her was gong to end up in critical care. "What?" she ground out giving him the same Slayer stare that she had given Angel.  
  
"What about our wedding," Riley wondered. He did not want to leave the church without being married to the love of his life. He was so scared that they would never make it back here.  
  
"What about it?" Buffy asked. Cordelia's vision meant that something was going to be happening. She couldn't think about her personal life right now. From the look of her psychic friend she might be battling to save the world. Again.  
  
"Well, all the guests are here, and the minister is waiting. Why don't we postpone the meeting for another hour and just get married like we planned," Riley replied. Six pairs of eyes turned and looked at him in shock.  
  
"Riley, look at Cordelia. Do you think she would be laying on the floor with drool coming out of her mouth if this was just another run of the mill day in Sunnydale? We will just have to put the wedding off," Buffy said. She hoped he would understand. Her Slaying duties had to come first. It could mean the difference between life and death for a lot of people.  
  
"Buffy, I don't want to put the wedding off. Too many times you run out on me to take care of the world. Please, just stay here and take care of us for a change," Riley replied. Sometimes he was jealous of her destiny. It left little room for him.  
  
"I am the Slayer, Riley. You knew that when you asked me to marry you. And I don't have time for this discussion right now. You can meet us at the magic shop or not. I really don't care at the moment," Buffy said and ran out the door seemingly oblivious to Riley and Angel calling her name.  
  
They both started to go after her, needing to explain and comfort at the same time. Willow placed a restraining hand on Riley and Wesley did the same for Angel. Cordelia was beginning to come around and he knew that Angel would want to hear the details of her vision.  
  
"You probably shouldn't go after her right now," Willow told Riley. She was sympathetic to his feelings, but at the same time she was a little shocked by his attitude. Her friend had a difficult life and it couldn't have been easy to run out on her wedding to save the world from another disaster. When he looked like he was going to argue with her she added, "Unless of course you would like to end up in the hospital?"  
  
Riley shook his head and turned to go back into the church. It seemed like some kind of announcement would have to be made. He only hoped he was correct when he told them that this was only a postponement.  
  
"Maybe, you should go after her, Willow," Giles suggested. He didn't think his Slayer should be alone right now. He wasn't sure he had ever seen her so angry before. Willow nodded and turned to hurry after her friend. She was worried about her too.  
  
"Willow," Angel began his voice stopping her exit from the church. "Please try and tell her that its not like she thinks. I didn't come here to battle evil demons. I just came to fight Riley. For her." Again Willow nodded and was successful in leaving the church.  
  
******  
  
Buffy blindly stumbled down the steps of the church. Angel is human, her brain shouted cutting through the silence in her mind. He's human and he's in Sunnydale.  
  
"Yeah because of some vision Cordelia had," Buffy reminded herself. She didn't want to get her hopes up. She bypassed the white stretch limo waiting at the curb and started to walk home. She was angry and knew that the action of walking home was the only thing that would calm her down. Or maybe staking a vampire or two, she thought with a wry twist of her lips. Where were the vamps when you really needed them?  
  
She half expected Angel or Riley to come racing after her, but she wasn't too worried about it. In her present mood they wouldn't be staying by her side for long. She couldn't believe Riley. He knew that her duties as the Slayer were more important than anything else in her life. He had been in her life long enough to know what the situation was like. She didn't always enjoy leaving his side to battle evil, but it had to be done and she was the someone who had to do it.  
  
Buffy continued to stalk down the street towards her mother's house, where she had been living in the last few months before the wedding. She was halfway there when she realized she was still holding her wedding bouquet. With a snarl of disgust she chucked the bunch of blood red roses into the nearest bush and continued on her way.  
  
Buffy was completely oblivious to the picture she made as stomped onward. She had left her veil back in the vestibule of the church, but nothing could disguise the fact that she was wearing a wedding dress. The long white train trailed in the dust after her, even snagging briefly on a few bushes and chain link fences. The sun beat down on her bare shoulders, but she didn't even notice. She should have been hot in the satin gown she had had created especially for her, but she was too angry to notice or to care. She was too busy calling Riley and Angel every name in the book.  
  
Finally she reached the house and climbed the steps to the door. Suddenly, Buffy was very tired. She could barely lift her arm to open the door. What is wrong with me, she wondered with a frown? Buffy managed to open the door and kick it shut behind her trapping the train to her wedding dress in the door. Sighing, she gathered her strength once more and opened the door. She swept the train inside and closed the door again. Then she looked longingly at the stairs. She didn't know if she could make it. Buffy decided to sit on the stairs until she could regain some of her stamina. Maybe this has something to do with the lack of sleep I had last night, Buffy thought. It seemed like a sound explanation. She just hoped it was the correct one.  
  
A knock on the door sounded and she heard a voice call out, "Buffy are you in there?"  
  
Buffy recognizing Willow's voice answered, "Come in Will."  
  
Willow opened the door and was surprised to see her friend sitting on the stairs still her in wedding dress. Buffy's face was pale and her eyes were drawn with fatigue. She knew that her friend had gotten little sleep the night before, what with the early morning patrol and nightmare, but she was still surprised by Buffy's appearance.  
  
"I couldn't make it up the stairs," Buffy said. She had noted the surprised look on Willow's face and felt that she had to make some kind of explanation. "Could you help me. I want to get out of this stupid dress."  
  
Silently, Willow helped her friend up the stairs and into her room. All that was left was the bare furniture and the bed made up with some extra sheets from Joyce Summers' linen closet. She turned Buffy around and started on the long row of buttons down the back. "What are you going to wear?" she asked as she helped Buffy step out of the gown.  
  
"I have some clothes in that suitcase," Buffy replied pointing at an old red suitcase that stood by the door. "I am sure I have appropriate fighting clothes in it."  
  
Willow went over to the luggage and hefted it onto the bed. She looked over at Buffy in concern and noticed that she was still out of it. Her eyes were glazed over and her face was wiped clean of any expression. She was really worried about Buffy. She had only seen her like this a few times. All of them had to do with Angel. Willow opened the suitcase and pulled out a black pair of pants and lightweight blue sweater. Black socks and boots followed. She helped Buffy get into the clothes and then pushed her back onto the bed.  
  
"Get some sleep, Buffy," Willow said going over and closing the blinds.  
  
This seemed to jerk Buffy out of her stupor. "But what about the meeting?" she asked, although, the thought of a quick nap held a lot of appeal. "I have things to kill."  
  
"I'll call Giles and tell him to gather everyone over here. I know you hate bringing the Slayer business into your mother's house, but you really need the sleep. By the time everyone is here you should have some time to rest," Willow replied. She bustled over to the door and left the room closing the door behind her. She felt a little guilty about not delivering Angel's message but she didn't think Buffy was quite ready to hear it yet. Willow left the room and went downstairs to the kitchen. When she reached the kitchen Willow picked up the phone to call Giles. She called his apartment first, but when there was no answer she dialed the magic shop. Xander answered the phone on the third ring and she told him to get everyone over to Buffy's house.  
  
"How is she?" Xander asked. He was worried about his friend too. He knew that Angel's appearance had shaken her up.  
  
"She is sleeping right now," Willow said. "I think she is going to be okay, but it would be better if everyone came here right now. She really needs some rest before she goes out to deal with whatever Cordy saw. By the way how is Cordelia?"  
  
"Awake and very scared. She's still talking with Wesley and Giles. Whatever she saw was not good." Xander promised to get everyone over to the house and then hung up. Willow looked down at her lavender gown and decided it was time that she changed her clothes as well. She didn't think anyone needed a reminder of the aborted wedding right now.  
  
Upstairs in her room, Buffy lay on her bed completely awake. She had been so tired just minutes ago, but now there was no way she was going to be able to sleep. She lay staring at the windows in her room, and was flooded with more memories of Angel. It seemed like her whole life with Angel was tied to that window. Sighing she turned away from the reminder of everything she had shared with her former lover and tried to shut her eyes. She was just drifting off to sleep when she heard the quite whoosh of the sash being drawn up. Slowly she turned back over and was stunned to see a khaki encased leg cross over the sill. She jumped up from the bed ready to confront the intruder.  
  
******  
  
Angel's heart turned over as he watched Buffy sleep. In a fit of nostalgia he had climbed up on the roof and was sitting outside Buffy's window. Willow had closed most of the blinds but had left this one partially open. He could just make out her form as she slumbered on her bed. His mind drifted back five years and he remembered other times he had sat outside this window and watched her sleep. He loved watching her sleep, even when the demon had been in charge. She had looked so peaceful, so like the normal girl she wanted to be. He could watch her for hours as she slept, watching over her, protecting her as best he could. He always hated to wake her. But now he had to.  
  
As soon as Cordelia had regained consciousness he had grilled her about this latest vision. He hadn't liked what she had to say. Not at all. Of course, it had been about Buffy. Some thing had come to Sunnydale to kill her. Not really unusual when you considered the fact that she was the Slayer. That didn't mean that he had to like it. Riley hadn't liked it either. He had liked it even less when Angel had announced that he was going to talk to Buffy, alone. They fought and Angel finally had to knock Riley out to keep him from coming with him. Angel felt that he had to be the one to tell Buffy about the danger she was in. He knew that she was angry with both of them, but he also knew he could put his personal agenda aside while Buffy was in danger. As he had looked at Riley, he knew that the ex-soldier would not be able to keep a professional distance. Riley didn't quite get the whole Slayer thing. To him it was just a job that he thought Buffy should be able to leave behind at the office. Angel knew it was more than a job it was a way of life.  
  
So here he was sitting outside her window watching her sleep. Now, if he could only screw up his courage he would go and wake her, and tell her that her life was in danger. Again. With a deep sigh, he pulled on the bottom sash of the window and quietly eased it open. He bent and put one leg in through the opening, placing it on the carpet. Ducking his head he pulled the rest of his body in after the leg. When he had straightened he found Buffy standing in front of him wearing her Slayer expression to go along with her fighting togs.  
  
"I thought I told you to go back to LA," she stated going on the offensive.  
  
"We have some business to finish first," Angel stated. Then he stood silently and just stared at her. She had been beautiful in her wedding gown, a beautiful, graceful woman. Something that was a little unfamiliar to him. Now she looked like a warrior. Still womanly but infinitely more familiar and more attractive. He loved the combination. She was all female and all business.  
  
"No we don't," Buffy returned a little breathlessly. Angel was staring at her like she was a big tub of chicken and he was a man who hadn't had anything to eat in years. She liked that she still had that effect on him. She felt powerful.  
  
Angel couldn't help himself. She was too much of a temptation. He shot out his hands grabbing her by the arms and hauled her to him. Before she could protest he bent his head and took her lips in a soul-searing kiss. He put all of his pent up passion into the kiss crushing her body to his. His hands roamed over her slim body that was pressed against his. He loved the way she fit against him, like she belonged there. He also loved the taste of her. It was something he had never forgotten. It was like a drug to him. The feel of her after five lonely years was nearly his undoing, but suddenly he remembered why he was here. He remembered that this was not about his personal needs but about saving her life. Ruthlessly he pulled her slender form away from him and stepped back to put some distance between them. Now they were both breathless.  
  
"I am sorry," he said balling his hands into fists to keep himself from doing it again. She had tasted so good, and she was wearing a dreamy expression that he knew he had put there. He realized that this was the first time he had felt truly human in the six months since his change.  
  
Buffy's eyes snapped open and she lost the dreamy expression. It was replaced by one of sadness. "Then why did you do it?"  
  
"Someday I will tell you," Angel replied. After you are out of danger. "But right now we have other things to talk about."  
  
"Things like why you are suddenly in Sunnydale?"  
  
"No, that's part of the other discussion we are going to have. Right now we are going to talk about the vision that Cordelia just had. Then once Giles and the others get here we will begin making a plan to save your life."  
  
Her mouth opened in shock. Did his reason for kissing her really have something to do about his appearance in Sunnydale? She certainly hoped so. Then the importance of Cordelia's vision suddenly hit her. Her life was in danger. Again.  
  
********  
  
The rest of the gang was already gathered in the Summers' living room when Buffy and Angel descended the stairs. Wesley and Giles were studying some books that they had brought, but Willow, Xander and Cordelia were sitting on the couch catching up.  
  
"Yeah, I've actually been on Dawson's Creek twice," Cordelia was saying.  
  
"Wow," Willow said trying to be impressed. Her life left little room for things like television. She was too busy studying. Giles had introduced her to some people in the Watcher's Council. After her time on the Hellmouth she knew that she wanted to help in the fight against the evil things that went bump in the night.  
  
"So what is that Dawson kid like?" Xander wondered. "Cause I heard he could be a real prima donna. Oh wait, you two must have been best pals then." Xander felt elated. He had missed sparing with Cordy. It was what had put the fire in their relationship.  
  
Cordelia rolled her eyes at Xander and then asked, "So what have you two been up to?"  
  
"I am studying to be a Watcher," Willow said. Cordelia just nodded. It seemed like something the nerdy Willow would be interested in.  
  
"And I just started my own construction company," Xander told her his chest swelling with pride. He had actually found something he was good at. He had been gathering knowledge from his employers for the last 4 years and was now ready to strike out on his own. He had even managed to get a loan from the bank.  
  
Buffy suddenly cleared her throat. She hated to interrupt the reunion, but it was her life that was in danger. "So Cordelia, Angel tells me that you have been seeing monsters in your sleep," she said into the stillness. She was unprepared for the pained expression that flitted across Cordelia's smooth features.  
  
Cordelia nodded her head in confirmation. "And they were really ugly, too."  
Wesley looked up at this and pulled out a sheet of paper that had been tucked in between the pages of one of the books. "They looked something like this," he said to Buffy as he handed over the drawing Angel had made based on Cordelia's description.  
  
Buffy gasped and her gaze flew to Giles. "What is it?" he asked noting the expression on her face.  
  
"Giles, this looks like the things I fought last night." Suddenly she looked around the room and frowned. "Where's Riley?" she asked. It was the one question Angel had been hoping she wouldn't ask. He didn't want to have admit that he had knocked out her fiancée.  
  
"Um, Riley said he would meet us here a little later. He had something he had to do first," Xander replied shifting his gaze away from Buffy's.  
  
Fortunately for Angel, Buffy accepted this and turned back to Giles, all business. "So do we know what they are yet?" She had complete confidence in her Watcher and ex-Watcher. Misplaced confidence as it turned out.  
  
Giles looked a little uncomfortable and glanced briefly towards Wesley before he answered her question. "Unfortunately not, although we have only been able to look at the few books we brought. We really should head back to the magic shop. We may need more books."  
"Willow, do you have your laptop here?" Cordelia suddenly asked. "I know of some demon websites. Maybe we could find them that way."  
  
Willow jumped up from the couch and returned shortly with her laptop. "If that doesn't work, I have this friend who is very interested in demonology. Maybe I could call him. I know he would help us."  
  
"It figures," Cordelia muttered as she entered the address for the demon site she had used in the past. "Okay here we go. I just need to enter a description of the demon and usually this thing spits out the name. So, skin color pale. Eyes: blue with a milky film over it. Yuck! Teeth: none."  
  
"What?" Buffy asked in surprise. She had noticed that the things she had fought last night didn't have fangs, but she hadn't noticed that they didn't have teeth at all. Maybe they weren't vampires after all. "No, teeth? Maybe they weren't vampires after all."  
  
"Yeah, but they had the undead tan working for them," Xander pointed out. "How many other demons do you know that have Dead Boy's complexion?" He pointed at Angel and then cringed when he saw the expression on his face.  
  
"Xander, I thought we had a little discussion about that nickname?" Angel said through clenched teeth. Sometimes he really couldn't stand that kid. The only reason he hadn't beaten him up yet was because he was Buffy's friend.  
  
"Right its ex-Dead Boy now," Xander said. Cautiously he gave the former vampire a silly grin and waited for the explosion. It didn't come, but Angel didn't smile either. In fact neither did Buffy. He was going to have watch those Dead Boy comments if he wanted to stay out of the hospital.  
  
"Anyway," Cordelia said shaking her head at Xander. He sure hadn't changed much, which was a comfort on some level. "Hopefully, this site will begin spitting out all kinds of info on our creepy friends." Cordelia had finished entering the description of the demons and was now staring at the screen. There was a red floating demon head that flitted around the screen, which meant the program was still working. She frowned at the screen and moved the mouse around. "Spit something out, you stupid thing," she said in frustration. It had never taken this long before.  
  
Suddenly the floating head stopped and an eerie voice issued forth from the mouth. "This demon does not exist in our files," it said. "Please re-enter the description and hit enter."  
  
Cordelia let out a frustrated moan. This particular site had never let her down before. "I don't understand," she said gaping at the demon head, which was repeating its instructions. "Usually this site has everything."  
  
"Well, I can't say that I am really surprised," Giles said. This seemed to confirm every instinct he had ever had about computers. Give him musty old books over the new fangled Internet any day. They were much more reliable. "We should get back to the magic shop and continue the research there."  
  
"And if I am going to patrol tonight, I think I should stock up on weapons," Buffy said heading towards the door. "I have a feeling I will need more than just Mr. Pointy."  
"I can call my friend from the shop," Willow said to the group as she too headed for the door. "He's really good at finding out about the obscure demons. If we can't find out who these guys are than maybe he can."  
  
"Demon guy, Demon guy he's our man. If he can't do it no one can," Xander chanted in his best cheerleader voice. "I think the G-man can handle this on his own."  
  
"Yes, well, any help would be greatly appreciated," Giles said trying to smooth things over. Sometimes he just wished Xander would keep his mouth shut.  
  
Wesley, Cordelia and Angel just looked at each other and followed the others out of the house. Out of the three, only Cordelia found herself refreshed by Xander's wit. She hadn't realized how much she had missed his often-inappropriate humor.  
  
As the group trooped down the steps they were stopped by a late arrival. Riley stood in the middle of the sidewalk sporting a black eye and a fat lip. Buffy took one look at him and knew what or who had caused his late arrival. She glared at Angel, promising retribution, or at least a strong talking to, with her eyes, and moved to Riley's side.  
  
"I am glad you are here," Buffy said taking Riley's hand. "We were just headed for the magic shop. Its time to go into full research mode." Keeping her hand in his she led the way to Giles' shop. She felt a little guilty about leaving him at the church and about the beating he had received. She wanted to make it up to him some how, so she stayed by his side on the walk. She smiled up at him and even managed to kiss his cheek all the while ignoring Angel.  
  
Angel, walking towards the back of the group, ground his teeth in frustration. He knew she was mad at him, but she didn't need to flirt with the guy. Angel took several deep breaths hoping to calm himself. Feeling homicidal towards the guy was not going to win him any points with Buffy, and he knew he needed to be calm when she took him aside to deliver her scold. Actually, he was looking forward to it. Even in anger there were sparks that flew between them. He had missed those sparks. He also missed walking with her and holding her hand, but those things would have to wait until she was safe. Then, once the demons were dusted he was going to make his move. He smiled in anticipation. Suddenly seeing Buffy with her Rambo didn't bother him any more. Sooner or later she was going to be his, because she promised him that she would always be his girl and now he was going to make her stick to that promise. Angel's steps lightened as he followed the Scooby Gang to the their club house. Things were going to work out. He was going to have Buffy.  
  
*********  
  
They had been at it for hours, but they still didn't have a clue about the new threat to Buffy's life. They were all frustrated and tired. Eyestrain had set in quite a while ago, but nobody was willing to stop.  
  
Finally, Buffy noticed that it was getting dark. "Looks like its show time," she said pointing to a window. Giles had closed the magic shop for her wedding so they had been able to do their research in private. Everyone was sitting in the rear of the shop where Giles kept his books and Buffy had her training room.  
  
Giles looked up from the book he was studying and frowned at her. "What are you planning?' he asked.  
  
"Giles, I can't stand being cooped up here any longer. I have to get out there. I have to patrol," Buffy replied. She shut the book she was looking at and stood to go over to the weapons cabinet.  
  
"But Buffy, those things, whatever they are, could be out there waiting for you," Willow pointed out. "You know, to kill you."  
  
"I know Will, believe me I know. But there could be other things out there too. Other vamps, waiting to feed on the really stupid people of this town." Sometimes she got tired of protecting the innocents of this small town. She wished that they would get a clue and stay in at night.  
  
"Well then lets saddle up," Xander said standing up from the table. He wasn't about to let his best friend go out there alone.  
  
"No Xander, you have to stay here. Help with the research. I can handle this alone."  
  
"Wait just a minute," Riley said also looking up from the really boring book he had been reading. When he had been in the Initiative they hadn't had to do any of this research. There had been other people to do that. "You are not going out there alone."  
  
"Actually, yes I am," Buffy answered. She had opened the weapons closet and was pulling out her trusty crossbow.  
  
"That wasn't a question, Buffy, it was a statement. As in you are not going out there alone," Riley replied. He joined her at the closet and pulled out a long, very nasty looking sword. He hated the research part, but the weapons were definitely cool.  
  
"Would you like another black eye?" Buffy asked. She couldn't let these people who were so important to her go out there and get hurt. "I can handle this."  
  
"But Buffy, bad guys," Willow said once more. She didn't exactly want to go out and run into these guys either, but she wasn't about to let her best friend face these things alone.  
  
"I want all of you to promise me that you will stay here," Buffy said looking around the room at all of her friends and would-be protectors, all of her human friends. She just couldn't risk their lives and she didn't need the added worry of having to look out for them. And there was the added bonus of having to worry about Angel now too.  
  
"Well, you don't have to worry about me," Cordelia promised. "One sighting was quite enough thank you."  
  
"Giles, Wesley you will be in full research mode, right?" Buffy asked. She was relieved when they both nodded. "We still need to know what these things are. Xander, please stay here. I know you can handle yourself, for the most part, but I don't want to have to worry about you." Xander looked offended at this but then shrugged his shoulders and agreed to stay with the research team. After all, he knew she was probably right. He had backed her up quite often, but knew that he could also get seriously hurt. He had many times in the past.  
  
"Willow, Wesley and Giles will need help. Besides, we still haven't heard back from that friend of yours. You should be here in case he calls," Buffy said next. Willow didn't argue. She was much better at the research thing anyway.  
  
Then she turned to Riley. He was glaring at her with his arms crossed over his chest. She walked over to him and put her hand on his cheek. "I will hit you if I have to," she said. "I can't have the distraction of worrying about you. That more than anything else could get me killed." She looked straight into his eyes and let him see the determination in hers. She let him see that she really would knock him senseless if that was the only way she could keep him from going with her.  
  
Defeated, Riley turned away from her and said, "I will stay here, but I will come looking for you if you're not back here in two hours." He had clocked her once and knew that a normal patrol took about an hour. He was giving her some leeway in case she ran into some trouble.  
  
Buffy agreed and turned to look at Angel. She knew he would be the hardest to convince, and if he hadn't been human she might have asked him to come along. The truth was, she was a little scared of the beings that had come to Sunnydale to kill her. But he was human and she just couldn't risk his safety. He was looking at her with dark, unreadable eyes and a frown on his face. Her heart sank. I might really have to knock him out, she thought.  
Angel had been watching her order people around with amazement. The last time he had seen her she had seemed older, more in control of who she was, but now, now she was in complete control and everyone seemed to obey her. Well, he wasn't going to just let her order him around. He may have come to Sunnydale for a completely different reason, but he was still her guardian angel and she wasn't going anywhere without him.  
  
"I can handle this alone," Buffy repeated coming over to stand in front of him. She was hoping that her closeness would convince him.  
  
"I am sure you can," Angel told her. He even believed that. She seemed so much stronger to him, and he didn't mean just physically.  
  
"Then you aren't going to insist on coming with me?" Buffy asked hopefully. She really didn't want to have to fight him on this. She wanted to save her strength for the demons that were trying to kill her.  
  
"No I am not going to insist on coming with you," Angel replied carefully. But I am going to follow you, he added silently.  
  
Buffy gave him a blinding smile and said, "Good. I didn't really want to have to hit you." Then her smile turned into a frown. "Which reminds me. Don't hit Riley again. I can't deal with the two of you fighting right now. I have more important things to deal with. Promise me that you won't fight," Buffy said looking at both Riley and Angel. They both gave their promises, although they glared at each other. Buffy sighed knowing that that would have to do.  
  
After she loaded her crossbow with bolts and shoved a few stakes into her waistband Buffy headed for the door. She stopped when Angel said her name.  
  
"Buffy, please be careful," Angel said in a soft voice. It was almost a caress.  
  
Buffy briefly closed her eyes, before giving him another smile. Her eyes held unshed tears and her smile wobbled a little. She had thought that she would never hear him say those words to her again. Translated from cryptic guy speech, she knew that those words where his way of telling her that he loved her. "I will," she answered and then left the shop.  
  



	4. Chapter 3

Note from Rain: My cousin Sunny wrote this fanfic, I'm just posting it for her because she cannot. Also, I really am not a retard who can't name chapters right, really :) The prologue took the place of chapter one so everything afterwards is shifted. ie: chapter 3 is called chapter4 when posted. Confused yet? I think I am.  
  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the god of the Buffiverse. I just borrowed his children for some fun. All the characters in this story belong to him, except the evil ones who belong to Rain. Thanks Rain for letting me play with them.  
  
  
  
I Do   
by Sunny  
CHAPTER THREE  
  
After Buffy left the shop, Angel strolled over to the weapons closet and pulled out a small battle-ax. Then he picked up some stakes and put them into the pocket of the leather duster, the so-called sexy one that Cordelia had advised him to keep. He certainly hoped Buffy thought he looked sexy in it.  
"Where are you going?" Cordy asked. She had been following his movements and now asked the question that was on everyone's mind.  
"Patrolling," he said shortly and headed for the door. He didn't want to waste any time in catching up with Buffy.  
"You're going to follow her aren't you?" Riley asked between clenched teeth.  
"But you promised," Willow reminded him. She was looking at him with reproach. She didn't approve of broken promises.  
Neither did Angel. "No I didn't," Angel replied. "I only said I wouldn't insist on going with her and I didn't." There was no way he was going to let her go alone. He was perfectly content to let her think she was alone, though. He sensed that it was important to her. She needed to go out there and face this threat to her safety alone. He also understood her need to eliminate any distractions. She was right when she had said that a distraction could get her killed. But he wouldn't be a distraction. In fact she wouldn't even know he was there unless she needed him.  
Willow gave him a sunny smile and said, "My aren't you the sneaky one. I see that humanity hasn't taken away your whole cryptic, sneak around in the dark side."  
"Yep, that's our Angel," Cordelia said. "He can sneak around with the best of them." Then she turned her attention back to the book she had been looking at. She knew Angel could handle himself.  
Angel shook his head and headed for the door to the magic shop only to be stopped by Riley. "I am going with you," he said. He still had the sword in his hand and had stuffed a few stakes into the pockets of his jeans.  
"No you are not," Angel said glaring at his nemesis. "I can't be stealthy with you bumbling along beside me."  
Riley drew himself up to his full height. He was a little taller than Angel, and that gave him some much-needed confidence. He didn't have that whole broody, flowing black coat thing going for him and that seemed to attract Buffy. "I can sneak around with the best of them, too. In fact I did it professionally when I first came to Sunnydale, as you might recall."  
"I remember, but this isn't playing at being a soldier. This is serious. Buffy's life is at stake, and she would be furious if she found out we had followed her."  
"I am not letting you go after her by yourself," Riley said. His hand clenched on the handle of the sword. There was no way he was going to let Buffy be alone in the dark with her former lover. "The only way you can keep me from going would be to knock me out again." Riley let the challenge hang in the air. He knew that he had won from the look on Angel's face. He had been hoping that the ex-vamp's promise to Buffy would get him what he wanted.  
"Fine," Angel said. He couldn't understand what Buffy saw in this guy. Riley was jealous. Sure he had reason to be, but Angel wasn't going after Buffy to score points, in fact if she found out he would probably lose points. No, he was going after her to protect her. "But just to let you know, that saving Buffy's life is the most important thing to me right now. I don't have any other agenda. Yet," Angel added under his breath.  
Riley was a little ashamed. He was concerned about Buffy as well, but if pressed he would have to admit that it was jealousy that had made him insist on going with Angel. But, he was only a little ashamed. He had caught that mumbled 'yet' and knew that soon he was going to lose Buffy. I'm not going to let her go without a fight, he promised himself as he followed his rival out of the magic shop.  
  
******  
  
Ten minutes later, Angel slowed his walk to a stroll and held up his hand in warning. They had finally caught up with Buffy in Weatherby Park. She was sitting on a bench listening intently to the sounds of the night. Angel knew her Slayer senses would be on alert. He quietly walked over to a clump of bushes that was about 150 yards from where the Slayer was sitting and hid behind them.   
Riley followed wishing he still had his army fatigues. He felt conspicuous in his blue jeans and light blue shirt. He looked in disgust at the black coat that enveloped Angel. Not only was the damn thing sexy, but it was useful too. He squatted down next to the ex vampire and turned his attention back to Buffy. He didn't understand why she was just sitting there.  
Angel, however, understood completely, and he swore under his breath. She was using herself as bait. Not a bad plan really, but these demons, or whatever they were, seemed to be a little too smart for that. He didn't think they would attack her while she was waiting for them. That didn't mean that other, more stupid creatures of the night might not take advantage of the young flesh just sitting there. And while she was distracted with fighting them off, he was afraid the real threat would close in for the kill. Even if Buffy never forgave him, he was glad he had come.  
Oblivious, to her tag alongs, Buffy sat on the park bench waiting. Listening for any sounds that might indicate that there was something out there in the dark. She sat illuminated in a patch of light given off by a decorative street lamp. After ten minutes of just sitting there her mind began to wander. She thought about Angel and she thought about Riley. If she was reading Angel correctly she was going to have to make a decision. She was going to have to choose between the two of them.   
Her heart, she knew was shouting at her to choose Angel. He was her soulmate, the love of her life. The one man in all the world that could be the partner of the one girl in all the world blah, blah, blah. He understood her better than anyone else ever had. He got the whole Slayer thing. He got how important it was, how it was such a part of her. And of course he was the sexiest man she had ever seen. Even now just thinking about him sent a spiral of heat racing through her. She remembered the one night they had made love. It had ended badly, very badly, but making love with Angel had been the most wonderful experience of her life. She had felt like she was truly one with him. She had never felt that way with Riley and knew she never would. She would never have that all-consuming passion with Riley. The passion that left her quaking with need even now, when she knew she should be concentrating on her surroundings. Suddenly she was very glad Angel was not with her.  
Her head however was screaming at her to choose Riley. Her rational brain dredged up all the memories of Angel leaving her. Could she really trust that he would stick around? She had been devastated when she had woken up in his bed to find him gone. She had been afraid that he had left because she had been inadequate in some way. She now knew the real reason behind his leaving, but that didn't stop the pain she still felt. She was always relieved when she woke up to find Riley still lying next to her in bed. And of course there was the memory of Angel leaving her to go to LA. He had told her it was for her own good. That he was leaving so she could have a normal life. She bowed her head and tried to will away the tears that threatened to fall. The last thing she needed right now was to start bawling. She took in a few deep breaths and tried not to think about him turning away from her and walking out of her life. That ranked right up there with sending him to Hell as the worst day of her life. Both of those times she had felt so alone. Standing there in the aftermath of battle knowing that he wouldn't be coming up to her and asking if she was all right, was the worst she had ever felt in her life. Her gut twisted with remembered pain. After she had sent him to Hell, she had run away, and she had wanted to run again when he had left her for a new life somewhere else. Being with Angel brought her ecstatic joy, and devastating despair. If she let him back into her life, which one would he bring her? She didn't think she could go through the pain again. She didn't think she was strong enough to get through the black pit of despair she would be in if he left her.   
Riley, on the other hand, was steady and reliable. He would never leave her. He would stay with her until her Slaying duties took her life. He would never cause her any pain, of course he would never give her the utter happiness she had experienced with Angel either. She truly cared about Riley, but she didn't have any illusions about her feelings. She loved the idea of being in love with him more than anything else. It was safe for her to love him. The question now, was did she want to stay safe or could she place her trust in Angel? She honestly didn't know. She had been prepared to settle on a life with Riley. She had been prepared to marry for affection, caring and physical attraction. She had been prepared to live the rest of her life without the blinding passion she had known with Angel. With Angel suddenly back in her life, was she still willing to settle?  
Buffy reached up a hand to smooth the creases from her forehead. All of this thinking was giving her one hell of a headache. She rolled her head trying to work the kinks out of her neck. Then she yawned. Suddenly she was really tired. Buffy yawned again and jumped up from the park bench. She needed action to keep her awake and apparently she wasn't going to find it in the park. It was time to check the cemeteries.  
As she moved away from the circle of light and into the darkness Buffy heard a slight rustling of leaves behind her. She slowed her walk but kept striding towards the park entrance. Her Slayer senses alert. Something was out there. Maybe she would find some action out here after all. As she reached the sidewalk outside the park she heard a soft footfall. Any normal human would not have been able to hear it, but then she was anything but normal. Buffy grinned and tightened her grip on the crossbow. Then she stopped to listen to her surroundings again. She closed her eyes and waited for the feeling she got whenever a vampire was around. She had honed her skills in the last five years and now she could pick out a vamp even in a crowd by just using her senses. Buffy opened her eyes and frowned. Something was definitely out there, but it wasn't a vampire. It was human.  
"Riley, I know you're out there," Buffy said with a sigh. She reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose. Her headache was getting worse and she didn't really want to deal with this right now.  
Silently, Angel cursed. He should have known better than to take Rambo along. He looked at Riley and shook his head. He willed him to stay absolutely still and quiet.  
Buffy sighed again. "Come on out. I know you are there." She was starting to get very angry now. He had broken his promise to her. And here I was thinking I could trust him.  
Riley looked at Angel again, waiting for his silent advice. He knew he had blown it. He should have been more careful. Angel shrugged his shoulders and made little shooing motions with his hands. He had heard the anger in Buffy's voice and knew she wouldn't rest until Riley had shown himself. Angel still had hopes of remaining hidden and to do that he knew he would have to sacrifice Riley to Buffy's anger. Of course he didn't actually mind doing that. The great big buffoon would lose whatever points he had gained by being at the receiving end of his fist.  
Buffy had turned to look back into the darkness and stood with one hand on her hip and one foot tapping in impatience. The arm holding her crossbow hung casually at her side. She was no longer worried about nighttime predators.  
Riley came out of the darkness and walked up to her a wary expression on his face. "How did you know I was there?" he asked. He couldn't believe she had heard him. It was humiliating after all of his army training.  
"I heard you," Buffy said. "Riley, I thought I told you that I didn't want you coming along on this little mission." She glared at him and the hand on her waist balled into a fist. She was very tempted to hit him. "You promised me that you would stay behind," she added her voice throbbing with anger.  
"I couldn't let you go alone," Riley replied softly. "I had to be here to protect you."  
Something in his tone alerted Buffy. His words had a double meaning. She was sure of it. "But you promised me, Riley. I need you to do what I ask. This isn't some whim I have, this is important stuff. This is Slayer stuff, Riley. You've known the score for a long time and I can't have you putting your life at risk just because you're jealous of my responsibilities. I thought you understood that having to save you would be a distraction that I don't need right now." Buffy reached up and rubbed at her forehead again. The headache was now so bad that she could hardly keep her eyes open.  
"I can handle myself," Riley said almost defiantly. He hated that she thought he was weak like Xander. And he was getting tired of being the only one in trouble here. He looked back into the darkness. "Probably as well as Angel can."  
"What?" Buffy asked. Why had he mentioned Angel and then suddenly she knew. She couldn't believe she hadn't felt him before, but she could feel him now. It was a wonderful feeling. It was wonderful to know that the connection was still there. It was wonderful to know that he still cared enough about her to stalk her. Of course she was angry too. "Angel come out. I know you're there. Skulking."  
"I never skulk," Angel replied as he materialized beside her. He glared at Riley. He couldn't believe the creep had given him away. She would never have known he was there if good old Riley hadn't said anything. Actually, Riley hadn't said all that much. Angel looked at Buffy with intense eyes and gave her his sexy little half smile. She had felt him. The connection was still there. He had been a bit worried that it had been lost over the five years he had been away. He felt like shouting with joy. She had felt him. "At least I almost never skulk."  
Buffy just looked at him, the pain in her head and her fatigue washing over her. "I don't suppose I could convince you to return to the magic shop?" she asked Angel. And she knew that if Angel stayed Riley would as well. He was protecting her from Angel.  
"No," Angel said. "Either I come with you openly or I trail behind you. It's your decision, but I am not leaving." Angel stood his ground and crossed his arms waiting for her decision. He didn't like the look in her eyes. She desperately needed backup because she was practically asleep on her feet. If she ran into anything dangerous, even a newbie vamp, she would be in a lot of trouble.  
Buffy yawned and waved her crossbow hand around in the air. "Fine," she said and started to walk away from the park. When her two shadows didn't immediately fall into to step behind her she turned and looked at them. "Well, are you coming or not?"  
Buffy started off again actually glad when Riley and Angel moved to walk beside her. She was so very, very tired. She knew she would need their help if she ran into anything even slightly dangerous. But that knowledge did not lessen the anger she felt towards the two macho men. The trio moved off towards the cemetery not saying anything, but just looking for any monsters that might be lurking, laying in wait to attack the Slayer.  
"Just because I let you come along doesn't mean I'm happy about it," Buffy said after awhile. They had checked six of the twelve cemeteries in Sunnydale without running into anything. She was a little frustrated. If someone was out to kill her, she would rather that they did it now than later.  
"You didn't really let me come along," Angel replied. They had reached cemetery number seven and he was trying to concentrate on the rows of gravestones and tombs.  
Buffy shrugged her shoulders. She didn't really care about the details. She just wanted to be angry with him so that he couldn't sense her relief at his presence. "Will I have to be the one protecting you instead of you protecting me?"  
Angel stopped in his tracks and turned to stare at her. He hadn't realized that she didn't know all the details about his humanity. He should have explained it to her. "I guess I should have told you this before, but the PTB that Cordy is always complaining about were actually very good to me."  
"Meaning?" Buffy had stopped walking as well and they were now facing each other. She was dimly aware of Riley standing behind her. Well, at least my back will be protected.  
"I retained most of my speed and strength after the transformation," Angel said. "I am not quite up to par with the demon strength I had, but I can hold my own quite well. In fact you might say I am the male version of the Slayer. I even heal quickly." Angel stepped closer to the girl that he loved and reached out a hand to touch her cheek. He ignored Riley's cough and stroked her soft skin. "I can still be your guardian Angel."  
"Great just what the world needs, another Slayer," Buffy quipped. Then her gaze focused on something she saw over Angel's shoulder. "Well, I hope you are telling me the truth about your Slayer-like abilities because I think you are going to need them." Buffy raised her crossbow and took aim. "Duck," she yelled at Angel as she pulled the trigger. The bolt caught a vampire in the chest and he exploded with a look of surprise on his face.  
At Buffy's words Angel had turned to look at whatever she saw over his shoulder. He ducked when she yelled at him and then used the momentum of straightening from his position to launch himself at another vampire. The two rolled on the ground and he managed to place a stake against the vamp's chest. He used the roll to press the sharp wooden stick into the heart. Another vampire exploded into a pile of dust. He got off the ground and dusted off his hands. Angel looked around to make sure that Buffy was okay. She was just righting herself from a lunging position. She pulled her stake arm back towards her as the third and final vamp also turned to dust.  
"Well, that was bracing," Buffy said as she tucked the stake back into her waistband. She had learned not to waste her stakes. Then she scanned the area for more vampires. When she didn't sense any more she stooped down and retrieved her crossbow.   
"It certainly was," Riley agreed although he was a little put out because he hadn't seen any action.  
"Lets check the other cemeteries," Buffy replied with a yawn. "And quickly too, okay guys. I am really tired." Buffy rubbed her forehead again. Her headache hadn't gone away.  
"Are you okay?" Angel asked with concern. He reached out to steady Buffy as she tripped over the edge of the sidewalk.  
"Yeah, just tired I guess. Come on lets get this done so I can go home and get some sleep."  
Buffy moved off in the direction of cemetery number eight with her bodyguards following closely behind. They made a quick tour of the four remaining burial grounds without incident and headed back to Buffy's house. Both Riley and Angel had decided that they were going to make sure she got home safely. When they reached Buffy's house Angel told her he was going to go report to Giles leaving Riley to accompany Buffy into the house. What they didn't know was that Angel called Giles on his cell phone and then climbed up onto the roof to sit outside Buffy's window. There was no way he was going to leave her tonight. Something funky was going on, to borrow an expression of Buffy's. He was concerned about how tired Buffy was and thought that it might have something to do with the demons that were trying to kill her. He just didn't know how, so he was going to stay as close to her as possible. He could have muscled his way into the house, but he knew she didn't need an argument right now. Right now she needed sleep, and he was going to keep her safe. It was the only way he could express the love he felt for her.  
  
*****  
  
Inside the house Riley was thanking his lucky stars that Angel had willingly left Buffy in his care. He hadn't been alone with her all day, and this after all was supposed to have been his wedding day. Actually, he was having a hard time believing it was the same day. It felt like a whole week had gone by.  
Now he just had to convince Buffy to let him stay the night with her. He turned from locking the door and found her sitting on the stairs frowning at him. Great, she's still mad at me.  
"I couldn't let you go alone," he said in his defense.  
"I told you I could handle it," Buffy returned. She swayed slightly as she stood up from her seat and had to grab onto the railing for support.  
"Buffy, is that you?" Joyce called from the top of the stairs. She hadn't seen her daughter all day and had been extremely concerned about her. She had been grateful when Willow had finally remembered to call her and let her know that Slayer business had kept Buffy from contacting her. Joyce had known about her daughter being the Slayer for seven years now, but she still hated it. Why couldn't fate have chosen someone else's daughter? Someone moved next to Buffy and she realized that Riley was with her. "Well, now that I know you are home safely I guess I'll go to bed."   
Buffy sighed and turned to go up to her room. She was slightly annoyed when Riley followed. "I don't need your protection now, Angel isn't even here," she snapped.  
"Buffy, could you please tell me what I did that was so wrong? I love you and I just wanted to keep you safe," Riley said. He dogged her steps all the way to her room and then had to put his hand out to keep her from slamming the door in his face. He pushed the door open and followed her into her room.  
"You broke your promise to me," Buffy replied. She longed to take him by the neck and throw him out of her room, but she just didn't have the strength for that. She closed her eyes and willed him to leave her alone. She was too tired to be having this discussion right now, couldn't he see that.  
"So did Angel," Riley pointed out.  
"What?" Buffy asked as her eyes popped open. "No he didn't. He never actually promised me that he would stay at the magic shop. He only said he wouldn't insist on coming with me, and he didn't." Buffy smiled slightly. It seemed he hadn't lost his cryptic guy act.  
Riley sighed as he watched her sit on her bed to pull off her boots. "I still don't understand why you are so mad at me. You aren't mad at Angel and yet we committed the same crime for the exact same reason, your safety."  
Unsteadily Buffy got to her feet and walked over to stand in front of Riley. She tipped her head back so that she could look into his eyes. "Of course I am mad at Angel." Do we really need to be discussing this now? Buffy brought her hand up to cover another yawn.  
"No, Buffy you aren't. When you caught me following you, you gave me a lecture. When Angel appeared everything was all fine and dandy. Please tell me why it was so different with Angel. Is it because you are still in love with him?"  
"Riley, I am too tired to be having this discussion right now. Can't we talk about this tomorrow?" Buffy asked. She didn't want to have answer his questions, because in her heart she knew he was right. She hadn't been angry with Angel. She had been relieved that he still cared enough about her to make sure she was safe.  
"No, we have to talk about it right now. Look, Buffy this is the only time we've been alone all day. Tomorrow is going to be the same and I think I deserve to have my questions answered. I am your fiancée after all," Riley explained. In his anger he failed to see just how tired she was. He tried to reach out and stroke her hair, but she ducked away from him.  
"Fine, you want to talk lets talk," Buffy said anger pouring off of her in waves. She couldn't believe he was being so selfish, again. She really was about to drop from exhaustion, which was kind of weird. "If Angel hadn't followed me would you have?" It was a question calculated to make her point.  
Riley looked away from her uncomfortable with the question. He looked back at her and saw her staring at him with anger in her eyes. Suddenly he realized that he was on dangerous ground. Buffy raised her eyebrows prompting him to speak. "No," he finally admitted.  
"So, you followed me out of pure jealousy. You didn't want me to be alone in the dark with Angel. What did you think was going to happen, that he would appear out of the darkness with his coat flowing behind him and I would fall on top of him like a teenager with overactive hormones? Did you picture us having sex among the tombstones?" Her voice throbbed with her anger and the pain that continued to pound in her head.  
Riley hung his head in shame. When she put it like that it did sound ridiculous. "He broke up our wedding," he pointed out. Although he was a little ashamed of himself, he still felt like his concerns were justified.  
"No, Cordy's vision interrupted our wedding. How many times do I have to tell you that my duty as the Slayer has to come before anything else? You seem to forget that being the Slayer is not my job, it is my destiny."  
"Fine, I concede the point for now, but that doesn't explain why you aren't angry with your ex-lover," Riley said. He still didn't get it, and he desperately wanted her to have some other reason besides the fact that she was still in love with HIM.  
Buffy rubbed her forehead and stifled another yawn. Without saying a word she opened her door and went into the bathroom across the hall. She took some aspirin hoping that it would help with the headache. Unfortunately, Riley was waiting for her when she got back to the room.  
"Angel, followed me not out of jealousy, but because he was truly concerned with my safety," Buffy said.  
"I was concerned for your safety," Riley insisted.  
Buffy just shook her head. He had already admitted that if Angel had stayed put he would have as well. "I know you were concerned for my safety, but you were more concerned about me being alone with Angel. He didn't have any other motive for following me. He just wanted to keep me safe, not from a rival lover, but from the things that are trying to kill me. I guess that is why I am not mad at him. His motive was to keep me alive pure and simple. Besides I would never have known he was there. He has tracked me many times before and I never knew he was there unless he wanted me to. He understands that the distraction of having to look after anyone else could very well get me killed. Now would you please leave me alone? I am tired and I would like to go to sleep," Buffy said the anger still evident in her voice.   
Riley started to object but he didn't get a chance to get the words out because Buffy's eyes rolled back in her head and she started to faint. Riley caught her just before she hit the floor and picked her up in his arms. He gently placed her on her bed and began rubbing her hands. Her eyes flickered open and she looked around in confusion.  
"What happened?" she asked groggily.  
"You fainted," Riley explained. He walked over to the closet and pulled some silk pajamas out of her suitcase.  
"I never faint," Buffy said indignation plainly evident in her voice. She allowed Riley to help her into her pajamas and then she got back into bed.  
Riley pulled the covers up to her chin and kissed her on the forehead. He turned off the lamp next to the bed and then turned back to her to ask if he could stay the night, but she was already asleep. He sighed as he pulled a chair up close to the bed. He wanted to crawl into bed and hold her sleeping form close to him, but he wasn't sure she would like that right now. She was still very angry with him and he didn't want to press his luck. He intended to stay up all night keeping watch over her but after about an hour his eyes closed and his head fell back against the chair. He was deeply asleep and didn't notice that Buffy was becoming agitated. She started mumbling in her sleep and her arms began to flail about, like she was fighting someone or something.   
Outside, from his uncomfortable perch on the roof, Angel did notice Buffy's thrashing about. He had assumed his position towards the end of the lover's quarrel and had wanted to charge in and defend Buffy. Couldn't the idiot see how tired she is? Angel wondered in disbelief. That was one of the reasons he hadn't insisted on coming into the house with her. He had had to grit his teeth and sit on his hands to keep himself from launching through the window and into the room when Buffy fainted. He had managed to restrain himself, but just barely. She didn't look like she needed any more problems and his presence would have been a problem. He was glad when she fell immediately asleep and seemed to be sleeping peacefully. He was even happier when Riley chose to sit in the chair instead of getting into bed with Buffy.   
Watching that would have too painful for him. The thought of the two of them in bed together led his mind back to happier times. Times when he had been able to hold her as she slept. Times when her warm, soft body had been pressed against his trustingly. Her trust had meant everything to him. She had even given it back to him when he had returned from Hell. He hadn't expected her to ever forgive him, but she had. And then, they had been able to spend more nights together with her cuddled up close to him. His arms ached to hold her again and his heart thumped louder with the memories of other nights. He shook his head to banish those memories and that is when he noticed her agitation. She was obviously having a nightmare.  
Angel let his eyes drift over towards Riley wondering if Rambo was going to wake her from her nightmare. Then he noticed that Riley had fallen asleep. He shook his head. It seemed that Soldier Boy had no staying power. Angel's eyes came back to Buffy as his hands reached out to pull the window open. Not wanting to rush to the rescue unless she really needed him, he sat back and continued to watch her.  
Buffy continued to thrash around kicking the covers off of her. After a few minutes she settled down and Angel let out a sigh of relief, until he heard her start to cry. He looked over at Riley, who was still asleep. Buffy started to thrash around again as she continued to cry. Angel made his decision to wake her and climbed into the room through the window. He slowly walked around to Buffy and then stood and watched her carefully as tears streamed down her face. She was mumbling something in her sleep, but he couldn't tell what she was saying. Her dream seemed to be upsetting her.  
"No!" Buffy shouted punching an invisible assailant.   
This got Riley's attention and he jerked awake. He saw Angel standing over Buffy and was about to attack him when Buffy cried out again.  
"No!"  
Angel, who hadn't noticed Riley standing behind him sat down on the bed next to Buffy and pulled her still sleeping form into his arms. "Shh, shh, shh," he crooned. "Its all right Buffy. Everything is going to be okay."  
"No!" she shouted again, but her violent movements had stilled.  
"Buffy, wake up. It's only a dream," Angel said as he rocked her like she was a tiny baby in need of comfort. "Buffy, please wake up. Its time to join us here in the real world."   
By this time Buffy was curled up against him and seemed to be drawing comfort from his voice. Then she struggled one last time and yelled, "Angel!" before waking up. Her blue eyes were confused and filled with tears. Realizing that Angel hadn't actually been killed she threw her arms around him and began to sob loudly.  
"You're alive," she whispered brokenly through her tears. Buffy hugged his firm body even closer and inhaled the scent that belonged only to Angel. "You're alive."  
"Of course I am," Angel answered and he bent down to place a kiss on the top of her head. He was whispering also. He didn't want Riley to hear them. This seemed to be something that should be kept between Buffy and himself.   
"What happened, Buffy?" Riley asked. He wasn't about to let Angel keep him out of the conversation.  
Buffy pulled away from Angel slightly so she could look at Riley. She gave him a perplexed look, like she was trying to figure out who he was. She shrugged her shoulders as if giving up and turned her gaze back to Angel. She opened her mouth and said the one thing that Angel had never expected to hear her say, "I remember."  
  
*****  
  
Angel's arms fell away from Buffy and he stood up in shock. She couldn't actually be talking about what he thought she was talking about. She wasn't supposed to remember, he said to himself.   
Buffy looked at him, hurt and confusion evident in her expression. She didn't understand why he had pulled away from her. "Angel, I remember," she repeated.  
Angel continued to stand staring at her. No, no, she couldn't be talking about that. She must mean something else. He was trying so hard to convince himself. He had always dreamed that she would remember that magical night they had spent together five years ago, when he had been human. But he never thought she would actually remember. He didn't want to get his hopes up.  
Riley was very confused. He kept shifting his gaze between the two. There was something going on between them that he didn't know about. He didn't like it at all. He had sensed their connection earlier, but this was something different. "Buffy?" he questioned softly. He needed to have this explained to him.  
Buffy turned her gaze away from Angel's still form and looked at Riley. She frowned at him still confused by his presence. "Riley, what are you doing here?"  
Angel jerked at Buffy's question turning towards Riley. He had to get him out of here. He needed to talk to Buffy about her dream.   
"I….I," Riley began. He didn't know what to say. How could she have forgotten he was there?  
Buffy shook her head trying to clear the cobwebs from her brain. She desperately wanted to believe that the scenes she had seen in her dream had been true. "Riley, I need to speak with Angel. Alone. Could you please leave?" She didn't want to hurt him, but she needed to know if her dream had been true. She thought it might be from Angel's reaction.  
"I am not going to leave you alone with him," Riley declared in outrage. He glared at Angel and stood his ground.  
"Fine then we'll leave," Buffy said and swung her legs off of the bed. As she stood up her knees collapsed out from under her and she sat down heavily on the bed. What is wrong with me, she cried silently and turned to look at Angel a heartfelt appeal in her eyes.  
Angel walked up to Riley grabbing his arm. He swiftly spun the ex-soldier around so that his arm was pinned behind his back. Angel frog marched Riley to the door and shoved him out into the hallway. "Don't even think about coming back in here," Angel told him with a soft growl. He still had a bit of the predator in him and he let his rival see that. Then he slammed the door shut in Riley's face.  
Angel pushed Buffy down on to the bed and pulled the chair closer so that he could sit and hold her hand. He gently traced the lines on her hand then placed a soft kiss on her palm.  
"Its true, isn't it?" Buffy asked when she could speak again. The feelings that were raging through her body had momentarily left her speechless when he had kissed her hand. "I can tell by your face that it is."  
Not sure if he could handle that particular discussion right now he decided to distract her. "Why don't you tell me about your dream?" he asked.  
Buffy shook her head in impatience, but she decided to answer him. She closed her eyes and tried to dredge up the images she had seen. "I was in the cemetery fighting something. I couldn't see what it was. They would attack me from behind and then when I turned towards them they disappeared. They managed to knock me to the ground and when I got up I was in an alley facing you. It was the first time I had ever seen you. You gave me the cross. You told me you didn't bite."  
"I remember," Angel said. He squeezed her hand as the memory washed over him. He had been so proud of the way she had handled herself. He had even been proud of the way she had caught him off guard knocking him to the ground. "What happened next?" he prompted.  
"Everything," Buffy said. "All of it in graphic detail. I saw flashes of everything that had happened between the two of us. I saw the night of my seventeenth birthday."  
Angel smiled and kissed her palm again. He remembered that night too. It had been one of two of the best nights of his very long life.  
"I saw you after you had turned. You said the same horrible things to me. There was the fight in the factory after you had killed Jenny." Buffy let out a sob and said, "Then we were fighting in the mansion. I had to kill you. Angel, I am so sorry. I never told you that before. I am so sorry. I didn't want to kill you, but I had to." She continued to cry and Angel moved onto the bed and pulled her back into his arms. The pain of that night swept through her and she clung to him while she sobbed her heart out. She hadn't cried over that night in a very long time, but it was obviously a wound that had never healed completely.   
"Buffy, there is nothing to forgive," Angel assured her. He hated seeing her so unhappy about an incident that had happened so long ago. She wasn't supposed to brood about the past. That was his job. "The fault was all mine. I put you in that position. I was never angry with you."  
"It wasn't really you," Buffy objected. "It was HIM." The last was said with such loathing, that Angel knew the scars went deep. He had never wanted to hurt her. He had only wanted to love her.  
"Then what?" he asked. He didn't want her to dwell on that night. He had never realized the hell she had been in after she had sent him into the netherworld with Acathla.  
"Then you were back in my life. At first I thought you were a monster. I thought you had killed someone. You saved my life." Buffy was sobbing so loudly that Riley, who was waiting in the hallway, could hear her. He wanted to burst into the room, but Angel's threat kept him out.  
"I had kind of gotten into the habit," Angel joked. He too had painful memories of that time. He had been so confused when he had returned from Hell. It wasn't until he had seen someone trying to hurt Buffy that he seemed to come to his senses.   
"We tried to stay away from each other. But it was too hard." Buffy smiled at him through her tears and touched his cheek. She had some good memories of that time. "You taught me Tai Chi." The look in her eyes made him want to kiss her, but she chose that moment to continue telling him about her dream. "You broke up with me in a sewer. A sewer, Angel. Couldn't you have picked a better place?"  
Angel didn't have anything to say to that. It was just another item on the long list of memories that were painful for them both.  
"Faith tried to kill you. I couldn't have lived without you, even if you left me I needed you to be alive. I tried to get Faith's blood to cure you, but I failed. I know you didn't want to drink from me. I know you would rather have died, but I couldn't let you go."  
Angel hugged her closer, remembering the taste of her blood in his mouth. He had never tasted anything so good in his entire life. Never before had blood been so sweet. He knew it was because it had been her blood. He also felt guilty. He had taken too much from her and she had ended up in the hospital. He had never been so scared in his life. He would never have recovered from the guilt if he had killed her.  
"Then you were leaving me again. I know you felt it was for the best, but you still broke my heart. I never thought it would be whole again," Buffy said a hint of anger back in her voice. She pushed Angel away from her and glared at him. "Then you showed up again, although I never actually saw you. I was so confused. I couldn't figure out why I was feeling so alone. I was feeling your presence, but I didn't know you were there. I thought I was losing my mind."  
"And once you found out I had really been there you came to LA to confront me," Angel said continuing the story. He knew what was coming next but was still unprepared for it.  
"I remember Angel. I remember everything that happened when I saw you in LA. We fought Mohra and you became human. Oh, Angel that night that we spent together was the happiest night of my life." She gave the man sitting on the bed next to her a glorious smile. "It has to be true. I don't know why I remember it now. I wasn't supposed to was I?"  
Angel shook his head. "No, the Oracles said that no one would remember but me. It nearly killed me to go back and confess to you what I had done. I held you sobbing in my arms and then suddenly we were back in my office. You were so cold. You walked away from my office and I never thought I would see you again. I never thought you would remember." Angel closed his eyes as the pain washed through him. Tears seeped from under his eyelids and rolled down his cheeks. He couldn't believe that she had remembered. This has to be a dream. He felt her wrap her arms around him, intending to comfort him and the tears came even faster. They clung to each other, both sobbing, the pain of that day five years ago so fresh it seemed like it had just happened.  
"I am so sorry," Angel sobbed out. Now it was his turn to apologize. She was never supposed to have been hurt by his decision to give up his humanity. She shouldn't have remembered.   
"I understand, Angel," Buffy said. She pulled back from him so he could see her eyes. She wanted him to see that she really did understand and that she forgave him. He nodded once and she reached up to kiss him briefly on the lips. The soft touch of her lips on his seemed to heal some of the ache that was tearing up his soul.   
Angel wanted to deepen the kiss, but sensed that her gesture had been done only to comfort him. She may have understood his reasons, but it still hung between them. More pain to be added to the long list. He was starting to think that coming to Sunnydale had been a mistake. No, I still would have come. Her life is in danger.  
"There is more to my dream," Buffy told him. She had sensed that he was pulling away from her. "When I walked out of your office I was back in the cemetery only this time I could see my attackers. They were the things that Cordelia saw in her vision. The same demons I fought the other night. You were with me. I don't know why. They came after me and you tried to protect me, but you couldn't. You weren't strong enough. One of them drew a sword and cut your head off, but you didn't burst into a cloud of dust. You just fell to the ground," Buffy's voice was shaking. That had been the worst part of her dream. Seeing his lifeless, headless body falling to the ground. "Then I woke up."   
She began crying again and collapsed against Angel's chest. Her dream had taken a lot out of her. She had remembered every painful detail of her life with Angel. There had been brief moments of happiness, but mostly she had been assaulted by the feelings of loss and pain that she always associated with Angel. Buffy continued to sob as Angel held her rocking her back and forth. After a few minutes her sobbing ceased and Angel gently laid her back onto the pillow. She had fallen back to sleep.  
Angel stood up on shaking legs and stood looking down at her. "I love you, Buffy," he said to her quietly. After all of the pain and sorrow that they had just been through he needed to say that to her. He was glad, however, that she wasn't awake to hear it. He was having second thoughts about his reasons for coming to Sunnydale. He was going to stay and make sure that she was safe, but he wasn't sure if he would stay and fight for her. Maybe she really would be better off with Riley.  
Riley chose that moment to re-enter the room. He had decided that he wasn't going to let Angel frighten him. Buffy wouldn't really let Angel hurt him. Besides, it sounded as if she needed him. The sounds emanating from the room were not tears of joy, but of pain. He had to make sure Angel wasn't hurting her.  
Angel was startled to see Riley. He had forgotten all about him. "She's asleep again," he managed to say.  
Riley looked over at Buffy's sleeping form noticing the tears still glittering on her cheek. He had also seen the tears in Angel's eyes. "There is a lot between you," he said.  
"Yes," Angel replied warily. He didn't know where this was going.  
"Most of it painful."  
"Yes." Although some of it was joyful too.  
"She is happy with me."  
"Is she?" Angel asked a hint of doubt in his voice.  
"Yes, she is," Riley stated with more conviction than he actually felt.  
Angel stared at Riley for a few seconds before asking rather abruptly, "Would you die for her?" Riley started to answer but Angel held his hand up forestalling him. "No, I mean would you really die for her. I would. Without hesitation. I have lived a very long time and in that time I have never found anything that makes me feel like she does. I feel whole, complete. My life would never be the same without her. If it was the only way I could keep her alive, I would gladly lay down and die for her, with no second thoughts, because without her this world would cease to exist for me. She is my whole world, and even if we are apart I can find some measure of happiness just knowing that she is out there somewhere. So, if she is truly happy with you, when this is all over, I will gladly leave. The only thing I have ever wanted for her is to be alive and happy." Angel turned and looked at Buffy a soft smile on his lips. "And if we can't be together now, our souls will find each other again in the next life."  
Riley didn't know what to say. He loved Buffy, adored her, but he couldn't honestly say he would give his life for her. He thought he would, but if he was faced with having to make that decision he wasn't sure he would be able to do it. After all he was a young man still, not even thirty. He was shaken by the love this 250-something man had for Buffy. He had never seen love like it before. He wondered if Buffy felt the same way. If she did he was going to lose her for sure.   
Angel having effectively shut Riley up moved to the other side of the bed. He removed his leather coat and boots. Then uncaring of Soldier Boy's reaction he lay down on the bed next to Buffy. He didn't know if she would have any more nightmares, but he was going to be very close by just in case. Tomorrow they would have to tell Giles about the dream. It seemed to hold the key to figuring this whole mess out. He ignored Riley, who had sat down in the chair on Buffy's other side, and closed his eyes. He inhaled and smiled when Buffy's scent rose up from the sheets and overwhelmed his senses. Even if it was just for tonight he was going to enjoy being in her bed. He opened his eyes and fastened his gaze on her face, which had softened in sleep. Angel reached out his hand and stroked her cheek praying she would be able to sleep through the night. He didn't think she would be able to handle another nightmare like the last one. It had taken too much out of her. He gently took her hand and then settled down for a long night of watching over this girl who was more important to him than his own life was.  



	5. Chapter 4

Note from Rain: My cousin Sunny wrote this fanfic, I'm just posting it for her because she cannot.  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the god of the Buffiverse. I just borrowed his children for some fun. All the characters in this story belong to him, except the evil ones who belong to Rain. Thanks Rain for letting me play with them.  
  
  
  
I Do  
by Sunny  
CHAPTER FOUR  
  
Riley awoke the next morning with a crick in his neck. He was briefly confused about where he was. He was supposed to be on his honeymoon in the Bahamas. As he twisted his head from side to side he finally remembered what had happened. He wasn't on his honeymoon, and he was not married to Buffy.  
He looked over at her sleeping form and realized that she was cuddled up close against Angel. He felt a strong surge of anger pulse through his body. He wasn't sure that he had ever been so angry in his life. His eyes moved over Buffy and found that his rival was awake as well.  
"She had another nightmare," Angel explained as he brushed a golden strand of hair off of Buffy's forehead. Actually, he didn't feel like he should have to explain anything to Rambo, but he did so for Buffy's sake. It might have been something she would regret if she decided to stay with Riley.  
"Oh," Riley said. What else could he say? He wanted to shout Get your hands off of her, but that was a tad on the dramatic side. Besides it might wake Buffy. She looked like she was sleeping peacefully now. Which brought up another question. "How come I didn't hear her?"  
"I was able to wake her before it got too bad," Angel said. "One of us should call Giles."  
"Yes, one of us should," Riley returned pointedly. He wasn't about to leave Buffy with Angel. She looked too vulnerable.  
Angel sighed and cautiously made his way off of the bed. Rambo, was an idiot. Did he honestly think he was going to ravish Buffy after her hard night? "Fine, I'll go call Giles." Angel put on his shoes and carried his duster out of the room with him. "Just don't wake her up," he admonished before he closed the door behind him.  
Outside in the hall, Angel ran into Joyce as she was heading downstairs for a cup of coffee. She looked surprised to see him there. "Angel," she said coolly. She did not approve of her daughter's relationship with him.  
"Joyce, how are you?" Angel asked ever polite.  
"Fine. What is going on?"  
"I am going to let Buffy fill you in," Angel replied. He was not about to tell Buffy's mother that her life was in danger. "However, I was going to call Giles and ask him to get the gang together over here. Is that okay?"  
"Yes. I'll make some breakfast and extra coffee," Joyce said.  
By this time they had descended the stairs. Joyce headed to the kitchen and Angel went to the phone in the dining room. He called Giles at his apartment and asked him to come over to Buffy's. He explained that she had had a nightmare and that it had left her really weak. "I am concerned about her," Angel admitted. "Giles, she fainted last night. Normally, killing two relatively inexperienced vampires wouldn't tire her out that much. Something else is going on."  
Giles agreed to collect the rest of the gang and bring them to Buffy's house. He told Angel that he would be there in about an hour and hung up the phone. Angel went back upstairs to check on Buffy. He was worried that she would have another dream. Buffy was still sleeping soundly and Riley was still in the chair by her bed, watching over her. Angel just hoped he wouldn't fall asleep this time. He returned to the kitchen and told Joyce that the others would be arriving within the hour. Then he went outside to sit and wait. Sunshine was still a novelty for him and he liked to enjoy it whenever he could.  
Forty-five minutes later Giles pulled up in his car with Willow and Xander in the back seat. Wesley and Cordelia, driving Angel's car showed up about five minutes later. They were all seated in the living room drinking coffee (only Xander had taken Joyce up on her offer of food) when Buffy came down stairs. She was pale with deep shadows under her eyes and she was leaning heavily on Riley. Angel stepped forward, swung her up into his arms and carried her over to the hastily vacated couch. He put her down and spread an afghan over her legs.  
"Angel tells me that you had a nightmare last night," Giles said. He was shocked by the appearance of the Slayer. He had never seen her looking so frail and weak before, and that included the day of her eighteenth birthday.  
"I hope it wasn't one of your prophetic dreams, cause those usually end up badly for the rest of us as well," Cordelia said.  
Buffy ignored Cordelia's comment and focused on her watcher. "Yeah. I dreamt about those things that are after me."  
"Well at least you didn't get a headache," Cordelia complained. "Every time I have a vision I feel like someone knocked me on the head with a sledge hammer."  
"Except for your dream visions," Wesley reminded her.  
"What did you say?" Angel asked. He had been frowning in concentration but at Wesley's words he perked up.  
"I merely pointed out that she has recently had two visions that didn't make her run for the aspirin bottle," Wesley replied. He looked at his boss and could see the wheels beginning to turn. "Why do you ask?"  
Angel turned to Cordelia and looked at her intently. "You had the first dream vision Thursday night, right?"  
"Yes, you know I did. Remember I told you that Buffy was getting married."  
Buffy looked up at this. Was this the vision he had been talking about at the church? Buffy wondered.  
"And then you had another one Friday night?" Angel asked. He was working on a theory and he hoped that he was correct.  
"Yes, I dreamt that Buffy was unhappy," Cordy said. Riley, who had been sitting quietly jerked his head around and glared at Cordelia. He didn't understand why all of these strangers from LA would think that Buffy was unhappy with him.  
"Then at the church you had a normal, extremely painful vision, right?" Angel persisted. If he were right it would explain a lot. "And you saw the demons that attacked Buffy the other night in the cemetery?"  
"Yes." Cordelia frowned. Angel was not making any sense to her.  
Wesley, who had been watching Angel's face intently spoke up, "Are you suggesting that the first two visions didn't come from The Powers?"  
"Who else would have sent them?" Cordelia asked. She was really very confused. As far as she knew the PTB were the only ones who could get inside her head. If someone else was in there it could get very crowded.  
Giles wasn't sure where this was leading, but he thought that it was very interesting. "Why don't you tell us about your dream, Buffy," he prodded.  
Buffy looked over at Angel, as if to draw courage from his presence and then began to tell the others about her bad dream. "At first I was in a cemetery fighting off an invisible attacker. They managed to knock me down and when I stood up I was standing in the alley meeting Angel for the first time."  
Angel, who was sitting on the coffee table facing Buffy, took her hands in his and gave them a reassuring squeeze. Riley just glared at them.  
"Then I saw everything that had happened between myself and Angel, as it happened. It was in living color, so real and life like. I even forgot I was dreaming."  
"Even when he was Angelus?" Cordelia asked. She couldn't imagine why anyone would want to have dreams about that time, although maybe that's why it was a nightmare.  
"Yes, I saw everything," Buffy replied. She looked at Angel and gave him a soft smile as if she was reminding him that not every memory was a bad one.  
Giles took his glasses off and began pacing around the room, while rubbing the bridge of his nose. "So this dream replayed all your memories of your time with Angel? All of it was something that had happened in the past? That doesn't sound like a prophetic dream." Giles had thought he had understood what Angel was trying get at, but now he wasn't so sure.  
"She also dreamt about something that she wasn't supposed to remember," Angel said softly.  
Giles, Wesley, Willow and Xander frowned at him in confusion. His words hadn't made any sense. "Something she wasn't supposed to remember," Cordelia repeated almost to herself. "Oh!" she exclaimed pointing at Buffy, "she remembered about that time that she came to LA! At Thanksgiving, when you became human." Cordelia had a wide smile on her face. She was proud of herself. She managed to figure something out before the Brainy Trio could.  
"I thought that your humanity had only recently been returned to you?" Giles asked looking over at Wesley for confirmation.  
"It was," Angel answered. "But its not the first time that I have been given that gift."  
"Buffy, maybe you had better tell us about the rest of your dream," Giles said. This sounded like it was going to be extremely interesting.  
Buffy turned and looked at Angel. She wasn't sure she could talk about this right now. It was still too fresh and painful. He gave her a loving smile and squeezed her hands again. "Well, you remember the Thanksgiving that we had at your place, Giles. When I was a freshman at SU. Angel, had come to Sunnydale to protect me from that evil spirit that rose when Xander fell into that church from the Early Settlement here in Sunnydale."  
Giles nodded to show her that he remembered that particular Thanksgiving. How could he ever forget it? He had shared his table with a vampire.  
"You mean when I got the funny syphilis?' Xander asked. "Yeah I remember it."  
"I still think we could have handled those Native Americans without killing them," Willow said a little defiantly. She had been all for trying to reason with the evil spirits.  
"But, Will, they gave me syphilis, and smallpox," Xander reminded her.  
"Somehow, I think we have strayed very far away from the original topic," Giles said giving both Xander and Willow his Watcher stare. It had always worked marvelously on both of them. Buffy always ignored it.  
Xander and Willow both looked sheepishly at Buffy. "Sorry," they mumbled.  
Buffy gave them a nervous glance and continued. "I didn't know Angel was here, although the rest of you did," she glared pointedly at Giles. "And when I eventually found out I was furious. So when I went to LA to see my dad, I decided to drop by Angel's."  
Riley wanted to leave. He was sure he wasn't going to like what Buffy had to say next. But Angel had been right about one thing. Buffy's life was in danger. And he would do everything he could to keep her safe, even if that meant listening to the intimate details of her past with Angel.  
"I told him that I didn't want him coming to my rescue anymore," Buffy continued. "I told him that I was a big girl and that I could handle things on my own. I told him that I was trying to move on with my life." Buffy looked over at Riley and smiled briefly. "I was only supposed to be there for five minutes, just long enough to tell him that he had to abide by the decision he made when he left me." A single tear rolled down Buffy's cheek. Angel caught the tear with a caressing fingertip and wiped it away.  
"Do you want me to finish?" Angel asked her. He could tell that recounting this part of her dream was very painful for her. Well, it was painful for him to, but he had had five years to live with it. She had only had one night.  
Buffy shook her head and smiled at him gratefully. She wanted to tell this story, she needed to. Maybe if she told the others it would seem more real to her. "Just as I was about to leave a Mohra demon crashed through the window and attacked Angel. We fought him, but he escaped. I offered to help him track it and kill it, as repayment. We tracked it to the sewer, where we had another heartbreaking discussion about why we couldn't be together and then we decided to separate. I went above ground just in case it was trying to hide from Angel in the sunlight and Angel continued to track it in the sewers."  
Angel decided to take over the story at that point. "I eventually found him and I killed him, but in doing so some of his blood mixed with mine. It made me human."  
"The blood of a Mohra demon has regenerative powers," Giles said for the benefit of Willow and Xander who were looking a bit confused.  
"I visited the Oracles to make sure this wasn't a trick, that it couldn't be reversed if I had a moment of true happiness. They assured me that it was the real deal and I went to look for Buffy."  
"I didn't know anything had happened until he came striding towards me in the sunlight. I had never seen him in the sun before," Buffy said. She looked at Angel and her gaze softened. "He…" Buffy had been about to say that Angel had kissed her but she suddenly remembered Riley's presence.  
Angel looked at Buffy sharply. Then he noticed that Riley was sitting very quietly in his chair. He face was white and his hands were clenched into fists. He decided to take pity on him and took over the story again. "We went back to my apartment. We had a lot to talk about. I was suddenly human. We had to figure out what it would mean for us. We spent several hours together when my friend Doyle came and woke me up," Angel explained. He sat silently for a minute thinking of his fallen friend. He gave Cordelia an understanding smile and continued with the story. "Apparently the demon could also regenerate itself. I didn't actually kill him. So I decided to find him and kill him again."  
"Why didn't you take Buffy?" Xander asked. If it had been him, he would definitely have asked the Sunnydale wonder woman to come with him.  
"I didn't want to wake her," Angel said. "Besides, if we were going to be together than I had to prove that I could take care of myself. Unfortunately, it turned out to be more than I could handle by myself."  
"I woke up and found Angel gone. I was really worried so I went to look for him. Cordelia finally told me where he was and I followed him. When I got there Mohra was about to kill him," Buffy said picking up the thread of the story. "I fought him as best I could, but this thing was really strong. It wasn't until Angel figured out that I had to break the jewel on his forehead that I was able to defeat him. Angel was badly hurt and I wasn't feeling so hot myself."  
Angel got up off of the coffee table and took a seat next to Buffy on the couch. He placed an arm around her and drew her close to him. The next part was going to be really hard on both of them. "I decided that I couldn't stay human. It would put Buffy's life in danger. She would always be trying to protect me. I went to the Oracles and asked them to change me back."  
"You gave up your humanity for Buffy?" Willow asked a note of envy in her voice. She wanted to be loved like that. She had thought she had found it a few times, but then the object of her affections betrayed her trust.  
"Yes," Angel replied. It was as simple as that.  
"But I don't understand," Giles said. "Why wasn't she supposed to remember that?"  
"The Oracles couldn't just change me back into a vampire. They didn't have the power for that. However, they were able to create a temporal fold which gave us the day back."  
"But wouldn't you just keep doing the same thing over and over again? Like the wacky crew of the Starship Enterprise," Xander asked.  
"No, because I was supposed to make sure that that didn't happen. I alone kept the memory of that day so that I would know how to kill the Mohra demon before its blood mixed with mine."  
"I always wondered how you knew how to kill it," Buffy said softly. She had tears in her eyes as she recalled what happened next. "When he came back, I knew there was something wrong. He told me what he had done. I…." Buffy's voice trailed off as the tears began to flow. It was too hard to talk about.  
"So exactly twenty-four hours later we found ourselves back in my office. Only this time I was able to kill the Mohra demon in time and Buffy left," Angel finished raw pain evident in his voice.  
The room was quiet as everyone tried to absorb the story they had just heard. None of them could imagine having to go through that much happiness and sorrow in twenty-four hours.  
"Up until last night all I could remember about that day was seeing Angel to tell him not to see me, Angel killing the demon and then leaving."  
"And I have lived with that memory for five years." Angel turned his head towards Buffy and buried his face in her hair. He didn't want the others to see the tears in his eyes. Buffy turned and put her arms around Angel trying to comfort him. They were both crying. They remained that way until Giles finally found his voice.  
"If no one other than Angel was supposed to remember that day why does Cordelia remember it?"  
"I don't," Cordelia said. At Giles' confused look she hurried to explain. "Well after she left Angel went down into his Bat Cave and proceeded to have the longest brooding session he's ever had. I sent Doyle down to find out what the gloom and doom was about. I mean he only saw Buffy for five minutes. I didn't think even she would be able to do that much damage in only five minutes."  
"Gee, thanks Cordelia," Buffy said glaring at the other girl.  
Cordelia looked at her in surprise and then blushed when she realized what she had said. "Anyway, Angel told Doyle and then Doyle told me. So you see I don't actually remember it, I just know about it." Cordelia didn't even bother to apologize to Buffy for the implied insult. She made it a rule to never apologize for speaking the truth.  
"So, up until last night Angel was the only one that retained the memories of that twenty-four hours?" Giles asked.  
"Correct," Angel said, "Which makes me wonder why she suddenly remembered last night."  
"Maybe its been buried deep in her sub-conscious," Wesley suggested.  
"If that's true why didn't I remember it earlier?" Buffy asked. "I could have any time in the last five years, so why now?"  
"Well your life is in danger," Xander chimed in. Joyce who had been sitting very quietly in the background gave a tiny gasp of surprise. Xander upon hearing it hung his head. He hadn't wanted to be the first one to let the cat out of the bag.  
Buffy glared at Xander and then said, "That isn't anything unusual, though."  
Wesley turned to Angel. "You think Buffy's dream and Cordelia's two vision dreams are connected, don't you?" He had thought Angel's questioning of Cordelia about her dreams had been rather pointed.  
"Yes," Angel said. Giles looked at him waiting for the ex-demon to elucidate on his theory. "I believe that some thing or some one is manipulating these dreams."  
"The question is who or what," Giles said nodding at Angel. He was inclined to agree with Angel's assessment of the situation.  
"Don't forget the all important why question," Xander said.  
Just then Willow's computer let out a shrill beep letting her know that a message had come in for her. Hoping that it was her friend she hurried into the dinning room and retrieved the message. "Giles, you might want to come and look at this," she shouted after she had read through the entire message. It seemed her friend had been able to come up with the information that they couldn't find.  
Giles extremely interested by the excitement in his young friend's voice walked into the dinning room and began reading the message over her shoulder. "Wesley," he said motioning with his arm that the other Watcher should join him.  
Wesley, also very curious about Willow's message hurriedly joined them. Xander decided to follow as it was on the way to the kitchen, where he would be able to find more food. Angel sensing it was important also invaded the space behind Willow and tried to understand the message he was reading. Cordelia figuring they would tell her sooner or later remained in the living room with Buffy and Riley. She pulled a nail file out of her purse and began filing her nails. Just because there was a crisis was no reason to let her appearance go.  
"Of course," Giles muttered. "Buffy mentioned their ability to communicate without using their voices."  
"They are telepathic?" Wesley asked. He hadn't gotten to that point in the message yet. He was still caught up by "the suckers of a human's life force" bit.  
"They're what? Teletubbies?" Xander asked coming out of the kitchen with a full plate of food. "I mean sure they are scary, but…."  
"No, Xander, not PBS's answer to appropriate children's television, but psychic vampires. They can read minds and communicate without speaking," Willow said. She shook her head at her friend but had a wide smile on her face.  
"Do you think they could help me find my lost car keys?" Xander asked. "I haven't been able to drive for over a month."  
No one responded to Xander's question. They were too busy reading. At Giles' prompting Willow opened an attached file that her friend had sent. It had more details about the psychic vampires that had come to Sunnydale. Xander sat down at the table and began eating while the others continued to stand behind Willow to read.  



	6. Chapter 5

  
Note from Rain: My cousin Sunny wrote this fanfic, I'm just posting it for her because she cannot.  
  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the god of the Buffiverse. I just borrowed his children for some fun. All the characters in this story belong to him, except the evil ones who belong to Rain. Thanks Rain for letting me play with them.  
  
I do  
by Sunny  
CHAPTER FIVE  
  
Meanwhile, in the living room Riley was trying to understand everything he had just heard. "You slept with him didn't you?" he finally asked. They hadn't actually said anything, but it had been implied.  
  
"What?" Buffy asked opening her eyes and looking at Riley. She was still so tired. She lay on the couch with her head propped up on pillows. She was an awful gray color and her eyes were dull and lifeless.   
  
Joyce, looking at her daughter from the back of the room, was very scared. She supposed she should be used to the danger her daughter was in, but every time she learned that Buffy's life was in danger her heart fell into her stomach. She wanted to go to her daughter and hold her close, protect her, but she knew she couldn't do that. Buffy was too independent for that. Besides she hated letting anyone see any weaknesses.  
  
"At Thanksgiving, when you went to see him. You slept together, didn't you?" Riley persisted in questioning. He couldn't let it go. He felt betrayed.  
  
"You don't have any right to question me," Buffy replied a hint of steel entering her voice.  
  
Riley smashed his fist into the mantle and tumbled a glass figurine from its place. It fell to the floor and shattered. It felt like his heart. Broken, into a million pieces. Her evasion of the question only confirmed his suspicion. "I am your fiancée," Riley said.  
  
"At the time we weren't even dating," Buffy reminded him. She pulled the blanket that was across her legs up to her neck and snuggled down into the sofa. She felt really cold suddenly.  
  
Riley ignoring the voice of his rational mind continued to give Buffy the third degree about that eventful Thanksgiving weekend. "But we are together now, and I think I deserve an answer," her shouted angrily.   
  
"But I don't think you deserve one," Buffy said. "It had nothing to do with you and is therefore none your business."  
  
"You are my business," Riley said through clenched teeth. A vein in his neck was throbbing and his fists were clenched.  
  
"I am my own business," Buffy returned. "Now leave this alone, Riley. I am not going to tell you anything more about that night. It is something that exists just between Angel and myself." The anger drained out of Buffy and she closed her eyes not wanting to see the irate man standing before her. It was all too tiring.  
  
Riley turned away from Buffy still very upset. He hadn't meant to argue with her, not in her condition, but he couldn't help it. He was jealous of the relationship she seemed to have with Angel. He had hoped that they had been building a deep and loving bond, but now he could see that she would only be able to have that kind of bond with Angel. And it disgusted him. How could she have built such a connection with a monster?  
  
Riley began pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. He desperately wanted to leave. He felt like he had no place in Buffy's life, like the past 5 years had been a lie. His rational mind, however, was telling him to stay and fight. It reminded him that Buffy's life was in danger and he knew he couldn't walk away from her now. Saving Buffy's life was more important than anything else was. He looked over at Joyce sitting so still and rigid. He knew she wasn't ready to lose her daughter yet. He knew that the world still needed Buffy in it. She was the Slayer. And most importantly, he still needed Buffy in the world. He wasn't ready to let her go either. So with the decision to stay and fight for the love of his life made, Riley turned to Buffy preparing to apologize for the argument. Buffy, however was asleep. He decided she needed the sleep more than she needed his apology and didn't try to wake her.  
  
He was vaguely curious about the gathering in the dining room, but after giving the group one measured stare he decided to stay in the living room with Buffy. He didn't think he was in any condition to be civil to Angel. He resumed his seat and stared intently at Buffy, watching her sleep. Suddenly he noticed that her breathing was coming in fast gulps and that her legs were twitching. It was almost as though she were running. He got up and went to her, sitting on the edge of the coffee table. Buffy moaned in her sleep as one arm came unwrapped and was flung against the back of the sofa. She started to kick out with her legs and managed to kick the blanket off of her entirely. Riley knew she was having another nightmare and was determined to be the one to bring her out of it. He took her hand stroking it softly while he called her name. He got no response. She jerked her hand out of his hold and punched him. She screamed and delivered another kick to the enemies she saw in her dreams.  
  
"Buffy, its only a dream," Riley said capturing her hand again. "Wake up Buffy, its only a dream."  
  
"No!" she shouted in her sleep. Her agitation increased and she twisted on the sofa in her attempt to evade her attacker.  
  
Joyce jumped up from her seat and ran over to her daughter. She didn't understand what was going on, but she somehow knew that it was important to wake her daughter up. "Buffy," she called. "Buffy, its time to wake up. You don't want to be late for school." She hoped that by mentioning school it would shock Buffy into consciousness.  
  
"No!" Buffy shouted again.   
  
By this time Riley was attempting to get Buffy into his arms. He was trying to calm her with his physical presence. Unfortunately it didn't seem to be working. Buffy punched him again, hitting him in the shoulder. She continued to kick and twist around on the sofa. Riley was a little concerned that she might fall off.   
  
"Angel!" Buffy cried out obviously calling for his help. "Angel! Help me!"  
  
Angel came running from the dinning room, followed by the others. He took Riley by the shoulders and hauled him away from Buffy. He gathered her into his arms and began crooning to her. He called her name and stroked her hair with a trembling hand.  
  
"Wake up, Buffy," he pleaded. He was so scared. He didn't think he had ever been this scared before. He could feel her slipping away and he was worried that there wasn't anything he could do to stop it. The tears rolled down his cheeks but he didn't notice. He was too intent on trying to reach Buffy. He knew he had to wake her up before the demons could kill her. If she died in her sleep it would be the end. He didn't want it to end this way. He didn't want to be alone anymore.  
  
"What's wrong with my daughter?" Joyce asked grabbing Giles by the shirt. "What is going on?"  
  
"She's having a nightmare," Giles replied prying her fingers off his shirt. Then he brought Joyce close to him and enfolded her into his embrace. "Angel will wake her up." He said that as much to convince himself as to convince her. He needed to believe that Buffy would be okay. She was a like a daughter to him and he wasn't ready to let her go. He didn't think he would ever be ready to let her go.  
  
Xander, having put his plate down, had an arm around Willow. They both watched with terrified looks on their faces as Buffy continued to struggle in Angel's arms. Willow had tears in her eyes as she watched her friend fight for her life. She knew that this could be the end and she wasn't sure she could handle losing her best friend. How could she go on fighting the forces of evil if Buffy wasn't there to help her and protect her.  
Xander was also very scared. He knew he would miss Buffy very much if she weren't in his life. She was the first girl he had ever truly loved. She was also the only girl that could protect him from the big evil that lurked in the dark.  
  
Wesley also watched from the doorway of the living room, with an arm around Cordelia. Cordelia in perfect sympathy with Buffy for once turned her head and buried it into Wesley's shoulder. She couldn't watch anymore. Buffy may not have been her most favorite person in the world, but she knew that life without Buffy would be very, very different. And not a good different.  
  
"Buffy, you can beat them," Angel said still trying to contain her struggles. "Buffy, you have to beat them and come back to us."  
  
Riley lay still on the floor where he had fallen. His head was resting on his forearms as he lay face down. He couldn't watch. He couldn't watch as the man he hated brought the woman he loved back from the brink of death. He knew that it was vitally important that Buffy wake up, and he would be glad when she did, really he would, but he had wanted to be the one to save her. He wanted to be the one she cried out for.  
  
"No!" Buffy shouted again. She freed an arm from Angel's grasp and punched into the air.   
  
"Buffy, please come back to us. We can't live here without you. You have to beat them, Buffy. You have to wake up," Angel said into her hair. He pressed a kiss onto her forehead and began rocking her.   
  
Buffy's breathing became more labored and tears seeped out from under her eyelids. "No!" she said again her voice hoarse. "I won't let you."  
  
"That's it, Buffy. Fight them," Angel told her. "Come back to us. I need you. Please wake up."  
  
With her friends and family standing around her, concerned looks on their faces, Buffy heaved herself out of Angel's arms and threw rapid punches into the air. She made no sound as she fought the demons inside her head. Her legs twitched and her arms continued to fly about. Suddenly she fell back into the protection of Angel's grasp and began to moan softly.   
  
"No, no, no," she whispered defeat evident in her voice and posture.  
  
Angel knowing this was the end shouted her name, "Buffy!" He grasped her arms and shook her gently. "Buffy, wake up." His words were more of a command than a plea. She had to wake up.  
  
Gasping for breath Buffy suddenly jerked herself awake. Realizing that she was in Angel's arms and not laying in the dirt in a cemetery she began to cry. It had been just another nightmare. It had been very vivid, but still just a dream.  
  
Angel pulled Buffy closer to him and just held her until her crying stopped. His relief poured out of him as a wide smile replaced the anxious look he had been wearing moments earlier. Joyce seeing that smile released her death grip on Giles and stepped away from him. She gave him an apologetic smile and went over to sit down on the couch next to her daughter.  
  
"If I don't stop crying soon, I am going to turn into a prune," Buffy said. She was pale and her hands were trembling. She tried to move out of Angel's embrace but found she didn't have enough strength.   
  
"Can you tell us what happened?" Giles asked gently. He didn't want to have to ask that question, but in light of what they had found out about the vampires he knew it was vital.  
  
"I guess," Buffy replied. She sat quietly for a few minutes and then took a deep breath to collect her thoughts. "I was back in the cemetery fighting those demons, or whatever they are."  
  
"Psychic vampires," Giles supplied.  
  
"Oh. Well, anyway, I was fighting the psychic vampires in the cemetery and I was losing. They were so strong. I couldn't kill them. I tried a stake but they didn't go poof. I even tried holy water and a cross. Nothing, nada, zip, zero, zilch or any other word or phrase commonly used to mean a humiliating lack of success."  
  
"The big goose egg," Xander added.  
  
"Yeah that too," Buffy replied. "I could see that I was in real trouble, but then I heard Angel calling out to me. Telling me to wake up, that it was just a dream. I wanted to believe him but it seemed so real. I tried to focus on his voice. I thought that if I could find him he would help me. They wouldn't let me. They told me I had to fight on my own. That everyone had left me and that I was alone. I was going to die in the dirt alone. I tried to fight them. They had me pinned beneath them on the ground next to my own tombstone sucking the blood from me when Angel finally woke me up. Another few seconds and I would have been dead." Buffy shuddered and allowed Angel to wrap the blanket around her again.  
  
"Joyce, I think Buffy needs some food," Angel said. He was very worried about Buffy. She hadn't regained her color and she was still trembling. He felt like she would disappear at any moment. "She needs to get some of her strength back."  
  
"What is going on?" Buffy asked. She really needed some answers. "Psychic vampires?"  
  
"Yes, well, I suppose it does sound a little odd," Giles began not really sure how he would explain this to Buffy.  
  
"And odd things never, ever happen in Sunnydale," Xander interrupted reminding everyone that this was the Hellmouth they were talking about.  
  
"He's got a point there, Giles," Willow said. "I don't like admitting it, but when the boy's right, he's right."  
  
"So lets give him a gold star," Cordelia snapped. "Now shut-up and let Giles finish. I for one would like to get this settled so I can go home. I have a hair appointment tomorrow."  
  
Joyce brought a plate of food and a glass of orange juice in from the kitchen and set it down in front of Buffy. Buffy grabbed the glass of juice, took a long swallow and then looked expectantly at Giles. "So, you were about to explain about psychic vampires," she reminded him.  
  
"Oh, right," Giles said stopping in mid pace. "Well, it seems that during the mid to late 1600's a rise in mysticism was seen in the peasant folk of Ireland. Several men and one woman were charged with being witches because they had predicted the future. The Master, apparently in the area at the time, saved them and took them back to his lair. I can only assume that he intended to use their knowledge for some nefarious deed.  
  
"Do you think he found out about them from the Psychic Friends Network?" Xander asked.  
  
"The Master?" Riley asked. He was confused. "Whose master?" He was sitting on the floor facing away from Buffy and Angel. After assuring himself that she really was awake and safe he had turned away from the painful sight of her lying in Angel's arms.  
  
"He was like the king of the vampires. Buffy killed him the first year she was here," Willow explained.  
  
"The Master turned these psychics into vampires?" Buffy asked before anyone could explain that she had also been killed in her fight with the Master. She knew it was painful stuff for her mother and she didn't like reminding her mom that she was vulnerable to danger.  
  
"Guess, he didn't like what they saw in their crystal ball," Xander quipped.  
  
Giles rubbed the bridge of his nose and settled his glasses back into place. He knew it wouldn't do any good to remonstrate with Xander. He seemed to enjoy playing the idiot. It was better just to ignore him. "Yes, although it's not clear why."  
  
"If they had displeased him in anyway, he would have killed them, not made them into vampires. He considered that to be a gift, a reward not a punishment," Angel said. "He had a disgust for all humans and would not have turned them into vampires unless he had a very good reason to do so."  
  
"You knew this guy?" Riley asked in amazement. He glanced back at Buffy as if to say, this is the guy you fell in love with.  
  
Angel decided to ignore Riley's question. "He probably just wanted to make sure they would be able to serve him for eternity," he suggested.  
  
Buffy shoveled a fork full of food into her mouth and nodded thoughtfully. "Right so he turns them into vampires and then what? I assume they didn't stay with the Master or I would have run into them before now."  
  
"What happens next isn't exactly clear. Willow's friend was not able to find a lot of information about their life with the Master. I can only assume that they lived much like other vampires. Feeding off of humans. Living on their blood. We aren't even sure when or why they left the Master," Giles reported.  
  
"So they are the normal every day, garden variety vamps, then right?" Buffy asked. She set the plate she had been eating from aside and struggled to sit upright. She was grateful when Angel assisted her.  
  
"Are you going to finish that?" Xander asked cutting off Giles who had been about to answer Buffy's question. Buffy indicated that she was finished with the food and passed the plate to Xander.  
  
"Not exactly," Giles said when he was allowed to speak.   
  
"What do you mean by 'Not exactly'?" Buffy inquired. She didn't like it when Giles was evasive. It usually meant that he had bad news to divulge.   
  
Giles, Willow and Wesley shared a nervous glance. Giles turned back to Buffy and cleared his throat. "Well..um..you see they seemed to have perfected their skills."  
  
"I would have expected that," Buffy replied seemingly unconcerned. She was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. "They are about 400 years old. I am sure they have killed a lot of humans in their time."  
  
"That's not exactly what I mean," Giles said. He again shared a nervous glance with his Watcher cohorts.  
  
"Look, Giles, maybe you should just give it to me straight. I don't think we have enough time for you to be beating around the bush," Buffy said irritation evident in her voice.  
  
"Right," Giles said nodding his head in her direction as if conceding the point. "Okay then. They perfected their psychic abilities. They learned how to read the minds of their victims, how to control their victims. They were even able to enter the minds of their victims. There is no record of exactly when this came about, if it happened while they were with the Master or after."  
  
Buffy nodded her head showing that she understood him so far. She sat up a little straighter and some of her color was coming back. Focusing on her foes instead of her personal problems seemed to help her recover from whatever it was that was wiping her out. Here comes the other shoe, she thought.  
  
"Once they learned how to do this, they discovered that they could live without blood."  
  
"Vampires who don't suck blood?" Xander asked. "Isn't that a little like Superman without Clark Kent?" He was confused. He hadn't really paid any attention to the group in the dining room. He had been too busy eating.  
  
Giles again ignored Xander's interruption. He was becoming an expert at ignoring Xander. "They found that by entering their victims minds they could steal a person's life force."  
  
"Life force?" Buffy asked. She had never heard the term before.  
  
"It's like a person's spirit," Willow answered. "Without it a person is just a shell, there is no will to live, no drive to attain even basic human needs. Once the life force is gone people just give up and die."  
  
"Kind of like Cordelia without a Neiman Marcus," Xander said.   
  
"Or Xander without the HoHo's," Cordelia responded with a glare. Maybe she didn't miss him all that much after all.  
  
Again Giles employed his famous Watcher stare and the two verbal combatants looked down at the floor and mumbled their apologies. He turned back to Buffy and noticed that she was staring off into the distance a pensive look on her face. He remained quiet knowing that she would eventually ask the question that was forming in her mind.  
  
"Okay, so they steal a person's life force instead of their blood, but how and why?" Buffy asked finally looking at her Watcher.  
  
"Apparently, they have evolved into a new species of vampire. Because of their special abilities they seem to be able to live off of the human life force instead of human blood," Giles explained.  
  
"You said they were able to enter a person's mind. How do they do that?" Buffy knew she had to get as much information about her foes as she could. She had to be prepared if she was going to defeat them.  
  
"Again the details are a little sketchy, but it appears that they enter a person's mind when they are the most vulnerable," Giles said.  
  
"Which would be when?" Buffy asked.   
  
"When they are sleeping."  
  
"Oh…..Oh!" Buffy exclaimed. Her dreams suddenly seemed to have an explanation. "They enter a person's dream and steal the life force."  
  
"Yes," Giles said pleased that Buffy had grasped the importance of her dreams. "They can also alter a person's dream and use them to control the behavior of the person. It seems that they don't always kill the person. Sometimes they just take a little, but not enough to kill. This usually results in dreams where you are being chased by an unseen foe. Usually you wake up when you trip, just before you fall."  
  
"Wait a minute," Cordelia said a frown on her face. "Are you saying these things can control what a person dreams about? That my dreams were caused by those creeps?" Her voice had risen and she began to pace.  
  
"Yes," Angel said getting up from the couch and walking over to Cordelia. He took a hold of her shoulders to stop her pacing.  
  
"What!" Cordelia screeched terrified. She didn't like the fact that something evil could just enter her mind like that. "Giles, isn't there a protection spell that will keep them out?" Cordelia turned frantic eyes towards Giles. "Like the one you used to keep Angel out of Buffy's house when he turned bad?"  
  
"I am afraid not Cordelia," Giles said sympathetically. He felt bad that he could not reassure her.  
  
"Don't they need some kind of invitation?" Riley asked. "I mean they can't enter a person's house without being invited but they can enter a human beings mind just like that."  
  
"No, actually they do need some kind of invitation to enter the mind," Wesley said speaking up for the first time. He was feeling a little left out. He knew he wasn't a Watcher anymore, but he had as much knowledge about this thing as Giles did and he was a little irritated that everyone seemed to be turning to Giles for answers.  
  
"Well, they certainly didn't have my permission to come stomping into my dreams," Buffy replied. "I never asked them to come in and show me something that I was better off not knowing about."  
  
Angel looked at Buffy sadly, knowing that she was talking about that Thanksgiving weekend they had spent together. He knew she was right. She would have been better off if she had never learned of it, but he couldn't really regret it. It had been a terrible burden for him to carry alone and it was comforting to know that she could now share the memory with him.  
  
"Actually you did," Willow said. "When you fought them."  
  
"I most certainly did not," Buffy argued.  
  
"Its not really an invitation," Giles said taking over the briefing again. "They need physical contact with the victim before they can enter their dreams."  
  
"Oh." Buffy again turned her thoughts inward trying to process everything she had heard so far.  
  
"They never touched me," Cordelia said. Her face was white and she had allowed Angel to help her to a chair. "I never saw them before my vision in the church."  
  
Buffy looked up at Cordelia and then over to Giles. She raised her eyebrows and waited for the man who seemed to know it all to explain this.  
  
"We are not sure how they were able to enter your mind, Cordelia," Giles admitted. Cordelia let out a moan and he hurried to finish his thought. "However, it is possible that you were in contact with them without your knowledge. It is not often that they actually attack their intended victims. Usually they settle for brushing up against the human in a crowd."  
  
"But we don't believe you are in any real danger from them," Wesley said. Cordelia looked like she was about to faint and he wanted to reassure her. "We believe that they just wanted to use you to get Angel here."  
  
"Okay, so lets recap," Buffy said trying to put all of the pieces together. "They enter a persons dreams and steal their life force, which they need to live. Now they appear to be after me. Why? Is it for revenge because I killed the Master? And if they are after me why drag Angel into this?  
  
" We don't believe this has anything to do with the Master," Giles said. He began his pacing again. He was frustrated because they seemed to know so little about these creatures. Much of the information they had was sketchy at best and they had been forced to draw many conclusions, which were not necessarily based on any real facts.  
  
"We think they are after you because of who you are," Angel said sitting down with Buffy again. He felt like he needed to be close to her. "Because you are the Slayer."  
  
"Well, that is nothing new," Buffy said. "At least they aren't very original."  
  
"According to the information Willow's friend sent us, these things are especially desperate right now. In fact they usually go after the weak instead of the strong. They usually find their victims among the elderly or in the nursery. Willow's friend believes that whenever someone dies in their sleep it is actually the result of these creatures sucking the life force out of the victim."  
  
"SIDS," Joyce said. She had been listening to the discussion with growing horror. Usually Buffy did not talk about her Slaying duties in front of her. This was quite an education.  
  
"What?" Buffy asked. She was a little shocked to find her mother sitting next to her. She had forgotten her presence.   
  
"Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Of course they must be the cause," Giles said a stunned expression on his face. His respect for Buffy's mother, already very high, just went up another notch. He could see where Buffy got her native intelligence. She might not be very good at studying but she had good instincts.  
  
"That's awful," Cordelia said. She didn't especially like children. They were messy and noisy, but she liked babies, especially if they were cute. She hated to think that anything bad could happen to them.  
  
"Quite," Giles responded.  
  
"I don't follow," Riley said. "If they usually go after the weak why are they after Buffy now?"  
  
"Well, as I said they appear to be quite desperate just now. Remember how I said the Master had saved several of them," Giles said. When he received nods of encouragement and understanding he continued. "Well it seems as if their numbers have dwindled down to just the two. There is no explanation for this."  
  
"So they hope to save themselves by taking a strong life force instead of a weak one," Buffy stated matter of factly. She had become used to demons seeking her out because she was strong, because they sought to prove something or to gain added strength by drinking her blood. "Why couldn't they have gone after Faith?"  
  
"She's too hard to get at," Angel said. "You, however, are here just for the taking."  
  
"Well, I am not going without a fight," Buffy reminded him. "Its not going to be as easy as they think."  
  
"Exactly," Giles replied. Buffy gave him a confused look and he hurried to explain. "One of the reasons they go for the weak ones is because they are easy targets. You are not."  
  
"That is why they needed me here," Angel said taking over the explanation. "They need you to be vulnerable. That is why they manipulated Cordelia's dreams, so they could get me here. That is why they showed you the events of that Thanksgiving. They wanted you to be emotionally upset. It weakens you and leaves you open to their assault."  
  
"So they're done with me, right?" Cordelia asked relief plainly evident in her expression.  
  
"Yes," Giles said. "You were just a means to an end. They never had any intention of killing you, although, they probably took a little of your life force while they were there. Have you been feeling especially tired recently?" Cordelia said that she had and Giles nodded. He really believed that she was out of danger. They were too focused on getting to Buffy to come after anyone else.  
  
"If your presence is putting Buffy in danger, why don't you leave?" Riley asked Angel with hostility.  
  
"He isn't putting me in danger," Buffy insisted. "He only makes me stronger." Buffy turned and looked at Angel. Their eyes met and locked as the connection between them flared to life.  
  
"I am not going any where while Buffy's life is in danger," Angel said glaring at Riley. When would Rambo get that through his thick skull.  
  
"But if you left wouldn't Buffy be strong enough to fight these things off?" Willow said reasonably. She didn't want to offend Angel, but she could see Riley's point. She could also see that this whole situation was very painful for all three of them, but especially for Riley. He looked shell-shocked. He looked like he hadn't been able to comprehend everything that was happening.  
  
"Its too late for that," Giles said. "We all know that if Angel hadn't been able to wake her, they would have succeeded with that last dream. Actually, I don't think Angel's absence would change much. The damage has already been done."  
  
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked confused.  
  
"Since Angel's arrival you have been focused on your personal problems, not on your Slaying duties," Giles explained. He didn't blame her for it, but no one could argue with the facts. "If Angel left now it wouldn't really solve anything, you and Riley would still have things to work out."  
  
"So this is all my fault, now?" Riley asked bitterly. He couldn't believe that they were blaming him for loving Buffy.Didn't they understand how he felt about her? He had put his heart on the line. He knew she didn't love him the way he loved her. He knew she never would, but he had been willing to take what she had to give. Now he was being punished for it.  
  
"No one is blaming you," Giles said kindly. Despite what Riley thought, he did understand the boy's feelings for Buffy. "But you can't deny that things are tense between you and Buffy just now."  
  
Buffy stared at Riley her blues eyes incredibly sad. She had never wanted to hurt him like this. And she knew he was terribly hurt. She instantly forgave him for the arguments they had had. "So what do we need to do?" she asked hoping to distract the others from her problems with Riley.  
  
"You were fighting, right, just before you had the last dream?" Angel asked. Buffy reluctantly nodded. "And you fought just before your dream last night?" Again Buffy nodded.  
  
"And, yesterday when you came home from the church," Willow spoke up. "Remember you were so tired you couldn't even get upstairs by yourself."  
  
"What is your point?" Riley asked trying to defend himself. He felt like he was being attacked.  
  
"It's the arguments that are hurting Buffy," Wesley explained. He too was trying to be gentle with Riley's feelings. He could see that the young man was struggling with some deep emotions.  
  
"I am not leaving," Riley insisted. He felt his inner anger and sadness raising to the surface. He was seconds away from attacking his worst enemy. Only the realization that this would hurt Buffy more than Angel kept him from acting on his urges. He didn't want to do anything that would add to Buffy's stress.  
  
"You don't have to leave. You just have to put your personal feelings aside," Angel told the irate ex-soldier. "This has to be strictly about saving Buffy's life. No discussions about failed weddings or anything else that doesn't have anything to do with destroying these creatures. Can you do that?"  
  
Riley nodded and resumed his seat on the floor. If putting his own feelings of jealousy and rage aside would help Buffy then he would do it. He didn't really want to leave her, not like this, not knowing if she would live or die.  
Buffy smiled gratefully at Riley. She didn't want him to leave either. And she would be especially grateful to end the arguments. At least for now. She knew that when this was all over she was going to have to sit down with both of her would-be lovers. She was going to have to come to some kind of decision. But I can't think about that right now. I have to concentrate on these evil little devils that have come to finish me off, Buffy reminded herself.  
  
"So we know why they have come to Sunnydale and how they plan on killing me," Buffy said looking at Giles. "All we need to do now is figure out how I can kill them."  
  
Giles looked extremely uncomfortable. "Unfortunately, that is not going to be very easy. Willow's friend was not able to find any information about how the others died. We don't know anything about their weaknesses."  
  
"Well, they're vampires, right?" Xander asked. "Can't you just stake them?" It seemed logical to him.  
  
"I don't think so," Buffy replied thoughtfully. She raised her arm and rubbed at her forehead. "It didn't seem to work in my dream."  
  
"But that was just a dream," Riley said. "One that they were controlling I might add."  
  
"They weren't just controlling it, they were actually there in her mind," Giles said. "That is why it was so vital that she wake up from her dream before they killed her. If she had died in her dream she would really have been dead."  
  
"You never really die in your dreams," Willow said softly. When the others turned and looked at her she explained, "Whenever you are being chased or attacked in a dream you wake up before they can kill you. You never die in your dreams."  
  
"Or if you do, you aren't able to tell anyone," Cordelia said.  
  
"Okay, so I have to fight them in my dreams," Buffy said. "Now how do I kill them."  
  
"Well with a normal vampire you stake them in the heart, right?" Xander asked. "If you stake them in the thigh it might hurt them but it wouldn't kill them."  
  
"Xander would you shut-up and let the grownups come up with a plan," Cordelia said nastily. Xander stared at her with a hurt expression his face.  
  
"Cordelia," Willow hissed in reproach. "I think Xander was actually leading to something, weren't you?" She looked hopefully at Xander. She didn't want her defense of him to have been done in vain.  
  
"Actually I was," Xander informed them. "But since you grownups don't seem to need my help, I think I will just keep it to myself."  
  
"Xander," Buffy warned. She didn't have time for his childishness. She was beginning to feel a little tired and desperately wanted to go to sleep. She knew she couldn't do that, though, until they had some kind of plan.  
  
"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted. You stake a normal vampire in the heart because that is where their life force, or whatever you want to call it, flows. The heart pumps the blood they need to live through their bodies, right. Well, with these vampires the brain seems to be the most vital organ."  
  
Giles looked at Xander astounded. Sometimes the lad actually came up with a brilliant idea. It reminded him of the time that Xander had come up with the perfect plan to destroy the Judge.  
  
"So you are suggesting that I stake him in the head?" Buffy asked skeptically. She too was remembering his birthday gift of a bazooka that she used to kill the Judge, but this didn't seem like such a brilliant idea.  
  
"Not exactly," Xander said. "Although, I suppose that would work. I just thought you could cut his head off, or maybe cut it in two. I guess it doesn't matter as long as you destroy the brain."  
  
"That actually sounds like a good plan, Buffy," Angel said. Sometimes Xander showed an intelligence that he rarely let people see.  
  
"Right, so all I have to do is fall asleep and then separate these guys from their enormous ugly heads," Buffy said rubbing her hands with glee. Now that they had a plan she was ready for action. She snuggled back down into the cushions of the couch and closed her eyes.  
  
"Wait, Buffy," Angel said touching her arm, forcing her to open her eyes. "You are too weak right now. You would never win."  
  
"I can't exactly take a nap and go after them when I have gotten some rest," Buffy said a little impatiently.  
  
"I know that," Angel replied. "But you are not strong enough to handle them on your own."  
Willow looked up at this and stared intently at her friends. The glimmer of an idea was brewing in her brain. She just hoped she was strong enough.  
  
"Okay," Buffy conceded the point. She was really weak. And she was scared too. "So how do you suggest I get some help. Its not like you can just walk right into my dream and help me."  
  
"Actually he can," Willow said quietly.  



	7. Chapter 6

  
Note from Rain: My cousin Sunny wrote this fanfic, I'm just posting it for her because she cannot. Please Read and Review!!! It does an Ego good :)  
  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the god of the Buffiverse. I just borrowed his children for some fun. All the characters in this story belong to him, except the evil ones who belong to Rain. Thanks Rain for letting me play with them.  
  
I do  
by Sunny  
CHAPTER SIX  
  
Everyone turned to look at Willow who was staring down at her shoes intently. They were all shocked by her statement. How could Angel possibly enter Buffy's dreams?  
"Will, what do you mean?" Buffy demanded.  
  
  
"I'm not actually sure I can do it," Willow said. She wanted to retract her statement. Tell them that she hadn't meant anything at all. The spell she was thinking of was very powerful. She wasn't sure she was ready for that.  
  
"Do what?" Buffy demanded again. She wasn't about to let her friend back out. She had given her some hope and she was going to badger Willow until she spilled the beans.  
  
"A spell."  
  
"What kind of spell?"  
  
"A spell that would allow someone to enter your mind to be with you in your dreams," Willow explained expelling a sigh. "But it's very dangerous."  
  
  
"I'll do it," Angel spoke up. He would do anything to protect Buffy.  
"I am not even sure I can do it," Willow repeated. "And it's very dangerous." She didn't want Angel putting his life in her hands. Why didn't I just keep my mouth shut? she moaned to herself.  
  
"Willow, maybe you had better explain this spell," Giles said with a frown. He had never heard of such a spell and he was a little concerned about where she had gotten her information. He knew she was continuing with her training as a witch, but that didn't mean she was infallible.  
  
"I don't remember it entirely, but I remember reading about this spell that could transport one person into the mind of someone if they shared a close connection," Willow explained.  
  
"Where did you hear about this spell?" Wesley asked curiously. He had conducted some rather successful spells in the past as part of his job at Angel Investigations, but he had never heard of such a spell before. It sounded fascinating to him and he wanted to be able to research it more at a later date.  
  
"I read about it in one of Giles' books. The ones he tried to keep hidden from me. I remember it because I thought I might want to try it on Oz someday. I was curious about what went through his mind sometimes."  
  
Buffy pulled the blanket from her legs and attempted to stand up. She faltered as her weakened legs gave out and was thankful for Angel's strong grasp helping her to sit back down on the couch. "Well, what are we waiting for lets get to the magic shop and get this done."  
  
"Wait, Buffy, we can't just go running off to perform this spell. We need to know what the spell entails and all the dangers it presents," Wesley said. "Willow said it was extremely dangerous."  
  
"And besides she's not even sure she can do it," Cordy reminded everyone. She still liked to call a spade a spade.  
  
"Willow, how much of this spell do you remember?" Giles asked. He was willing to see where this discussion led. They didn't exactly have a lot of other options.  
  
Willow shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She was confident in her abilities as a witch, but she was worried that this spell was a little beyond her at this point in her training. Maybe if she was still with Tara. They had seemed to be very powerful together. But in the end the magic was all they had, and even that had become tainted by their breakup.  
  
"I remember that the spell centers on the connection between the two people. I don't remember the specific ingredients, but I am sure that Giles would have everything that we need at the shop," Willow explained. "I do remember however, the warning that accompanied this spell. That's why I never tried it. The person that is invading the dreams of the host can become caught in the dream world. If Buffy were to die in her dream, than the person in her dream would die as well because they couldn't get out of her dream and return to their own body. Or if she were to wake up before they could get back to their own body then their spirit would be stuck in Buffy's mind and the body would die."  
  
"I'll do it," Angel said again. He didn't care what happened to himself, as long as he could help Buffy.  
  
"But you could die," Buffy said looking at him. She wasn't sure she wanted him to take that risk for her.   
  
"I don't care," Angel replied.   
  
"Or I could do it," Riley insisted. Everyone turned and looked at him like he was crazy. "The spell just says the person has to have a connection to Buffy. Well I have a connection with her. I am her fiancée after all."  
  
"But you could die," Buffy repeated. She didn't want anyone to risk their life to save hers. That was her job.  
  
"Remember the question I asked you last night?" Angel inquired. His brown eyes locked and clashed with Riley's green ones.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, this time its for real. Buffy is right you could die. Are you really willing to give up your life for hers? I am. I meant it when I said I would lay down and die for her with no regrets. How about you would you have any regrets?" Angel prompted.   
  
Riley dropped his eyes from Angel's gaze and looked at Buffy. She was so precious to him, so sweet and beautiful. He wasn't sure he could live without her, but could he really give up his life just to save hers?   
  
"You would really die for Buffy?" Willow wondered her eyes huge with awe. She knew Angel loved Buffy, but until today she had never realized just how much.  
  
"Yes I would," Angel answered. He again caught Riley's eye and asked, "How about you?"  
  
"Angel I can't let you give up your newly restored life for me," Buffy interrupted. She wanted to ask him how they could be together if he was dead, but she couldn't hurt Riley like that, so she kept the question to herself. "I can't let either one of you put yourself at risk."  
  
"Buffy, you are in no condition to fight these demons yourself," Angel said. Trying to assure her that he would do anything in his power to help her. "And there is no other way."  
  
"I know," Buffy replied sadly. She didn't want anyone to die. In fact she would rather die than let either of the men in her life die for her. She was the Slayer. She was the Chosen One. The one chosen to die to save a life, not Angel or Riley.  
  
"I still think this is too risky," Wesley said. He didn't want Angel to give up his life now that he had gotten it back.   
  
Cordelia was in complete agreement with Wesley. "If you die what will happen to Angel Investigations?" she asked seemingly in an altruistic vein. "And my paycheck?" It seemed that Cordelia really hadn't changed her priorities after all.   
  
"Cordy, you know how broody I've been since I regained my humanity?" Angel asked. Cordelia nodded her head. "Well, if Buffy dies it would be ten times worse. I can't live in this world knowing she isn't in it."  
  
Giles had been thoughtfully pacing the living room and polishing his glasses. He didn't really like this option any more than the others did, but he couldn't think of another way. He had wracked his brain trying to remember the spell Willow was talking about. He was a little concerned that he had no knowledge of the spell. He knew Willow was strong, but this sounded like a very powerful spell. She would need all the help she could get. He wasn't really a witch, but he had worked some spells in the past, successfully too. Of course they had all been spells of which he had some knowledge.  
  
"Giles," Buffy said for the third time.  
  
"Hmm?" Giles responded still pondering the problem of Willow's spell.  
  
"I asked what you thought about doing the spell," Buffy repeated. She respected his judgment even though she didn't always take his advice.  
  
"I am not sure," Giles replied honestly. "However, since another solution has yet to present itself, I suggest that we proceed with the spell. It may be that another option will come to us before we actually complete it." He still had hope of finding another solution. Willow's spell was far from ideal, but Angel was right, they didn't have any other choice.  
  
Willow was sitting quietly in the background determined not to say another word. Look what speaking up had gotten her into. She was very sorry she had ever mentioned the spell.  
  
Xander knowing his friend was regretting her words placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He had confidence in Willow. She had done some amazing things in the past. She was far from the days where floating a pencil was the extent of her powers.  
  
"Okay, Willow, what do we need to do?" Angel asked. He wanted to get this spell started. He had no fears for himself, he had been telling the truth about his willingness to die for Buffy, but he was extremely worried about her. She looked so fragile. She also looked like she could fall asleep at any moment. He knew they had to get this started before she did. Once she was asleep, she would be on her own. The psychic vampires had grown stronger on her life force, while she had gotten weaker. She would not escape them again.  
  
"I guess the first thing we need to do is get to the magic shop. I need to find the book with the spell in it and gather the supplies," Willow replied giving in to the inevitable. She had made her bed and now she had to lie in it.  
  
"Fine," Angel said. "Willow, you, Xander and Riley get to the shop with Giles. Wes, I'll need you to drive my car. Cordy and Buffy will be with us." Angel picked Buffy up from the couch and started towards the door.  
  
Riley wanted to object to the carpool arrangements, but felt it would be too much of a hassle for Buffy. Meekly he joined the exodus out to the cars and joined the other Scoobies in the Gilesmobile.   
  
Joyce managed to bully her way into Angel's car. "Buffy is my daughter," she declared. "I am not going to be left behind to sit and worry by the phone." Angel realizing that he had no choice let Buffy's mother enter the car ahead of him and then he deposited Buffy in next to Joyce. He sat next to Buffy. He wanted to be close to her so that he could keep her awake.  
  
********  
  
"I found it!" Willow shouted holding up a tattered leather bound book. It was quite possibly the oldest book Giles had in his vast collection. The Scoobies had been looking through the collection for almost half an hour when Willow made the discovery.  
  
Angel let out a sigh of relief. He had been trying to keep Buffy awake while the others had searched for the spell. It was getting harder to keep her from drifting off. He wasn't any good at telling jokes or engaging in small talk. Of course when he was around Buffy all he really wanted to do was sit and stare at her. Or kiss her. Those two options were plainly out of the question in the circumstances. He had thought about singing to her, knowing that it would give her a good laugh, but all the Barry Manilow songs that he knew seemed to have flown right out of his head. Besides, he was a still a little self-conscious about singing in front of his friends.  
  
"Let me see that," Giles said jumping up from his seat and hurrying over to Willow. He took the book from her and opened it to the page she had marked with her finger. He frowned in concentration as he tried to read the incantation.  
  
Willow after surrendering the book to Giles strode around the room gathering supplies from the well-stocked shelves. She had managed to read the ingredient list before informing the others that she had found the spell. She had also taken a few minutes to read the spell over; making sure it was the correct one. She didn't want to make any mistakes here. Too much was at risk.  
  
"Wow, Giles, the store is really stocked. I had no idea you would have one of these," Willow said as she pulled a green globe down from the shelf. "I've heard that it is extremely hard to get an Orb of Delego Viridis."  
  
Giles looked up from the book and gave her a smug smile. He was proud of his little magic shop. He had made rather a success of it. And he hadn't gotten himself killed, yet.  
"A whaty?" Xander asked confused by words of another language.  
  
"An Orb of Delego Viridis," Willow repeated enunciating carefully.  
"Again I say, 'A whaty?'"  
  
"It's a ball of green glass that helps in the transfer of a soul," Wesley replied  
slightly embarrassed by the pedestrian name assigned to the magic globe.  
  
Xander stared at him. "Wow, those ancient dudes were really imaginative, weren't they?" he asked with smirk.  
  
Willow took the ball of green glass and gingerly placed it in the middle of the table with the rest of the ingredients spread out around it. There were several bags of herbs and one jar that looked like it held eyeballs of some kind.  
  
"Gross," Cordelia said as she picked up the jar of eyeballs. "Why does every spell have to include eyeballs?" She set the jar back on the table and looked at Willow.  
  
Willow shrugged her shoulders and turned back to the shelves of magical supplies. She grabbed a few candles and a box of chalk. According to the directions for the spell they needed to make a sacred circle enclosed by burning candles.  
  
"So what can we do to help?" Riley asked. He felt extraneous. Like he had no place among the Scoobies. For years he had been a part of the group, maybe not the core group, but definitely a member. Now he felt like an intruder. He needed to become involved. He needed to feel useful.  
  
"We have to draw a circle around Buffy and Angel," Willow replied handing Riley a piece of magical chalk. She turned to instruct Angel and Buffy to lay down in the middle of the floor but was stopped by Riley.  
  
"We haven't decided for sure that Angel is going to be the one to do this." Riley had been thinking about Angel's questions on the way to the magic shop. He had come to the conclusion that he was willing to put his life on the line to save Buffy. Whatever, she might feel about him, he loved her and he couldn't let her face these things without being there to help her. Besides, he didn't really take the dangers seriously. He was young and felt that nothing would actually happen to him.  
  
Angel looked up at this taking his attention from Buffy. They had been talking quietly about nothing in particular and he had been enjoying himself. He frowned at Riley and said, "I thought it was all decided."  
  
"You decided it. I never agreed," Riley pointed out. He realized he was being difficult again, but he didn't really care. He wanted to be the one to save Buffy.  
  
"But there has to be a connection," Willow said. She didn't want them to argue. Not now. She didn't need any added stress. Just trying to do the spell would be enough.  
  
"I have a connection with Buffy," Riley reminded her. "In fact the connection between us is probably stronger than the one between her and Angel. After all I have been with her for the last five years."  
  
Joyce having been completely silent up until this point suddenly chose this moment to get involved. "I should be the one to do it," she spoke up. She couldn't just sit around and let these outsiders save HER daughter. "I am her mother, what bond could possibly be stronger than that?"  
  
"Mom, no," Buffy said. She wasn't about to let her mom get any more involved in this mess. She needed to keep her safe. "Its too dangerous."  
  
"Buffy," Joyce began trying to reason with her daughter.  
  
Buffy held up her hand to silence her mother. "Mom, I need someone to help me fight. Do you honestly believe you can help me against these demons?" Buffy snapped in annoyance. She didn't mean to snap at her mother, but she was so very, very tired.  
  
"No," Joyce said. She was disgusted with herself. Why couldn't she have been blessed with at least a fraction of her daughter's preternatural strength? It didn't seem fair.  
  
"Besides, I will need all the help I can get to cast this spell," Willow said. She understood Joyce's need to be involved in saving her daughter. She had felt the same way. That was why she had started getting involved in witchcraft. She had felt so useless when patrolling with Buffy. All she could do before her Wiccan Days was step aside and watch as Buffy bravely took on all kinds of monsters.  
  
Angel helped Buffy to stand and walk over to the middle of the floor. He spread the blanket down and then helped Buffy to lay back down on the floor. "Okay, so it's all settled then, right?"  
  
"No, its not," Riley replied. He went over to Buffy and knelt down beside her. He took her hand in his and looked into her eyes. "Buffy, I know that focusing on your personal problems will only weaken you, so I am not suggesting that you do that. I am only suggesting that I might be able to help you in there," Riley said tapping her head lightly with his forefinger. "I am certainly strong enough to help you and we do have a connection."  
  
"This is not the time to make her choose between us," Angel said angrily. He desperately wanted to hurl Riley out of the nearest window. He wasn't afraid that their connection would prove to be stronger than the one he shared with Buffy, in fact he knew it wasn't, but he was afraid that this new conflict would deplete what little resources she had left.  
  
Buffy's eyes bounced from Angel's face to Riley's and back again. She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to have to decide their fates. If something went wrong one of them would die. Sighing heavily, Buffy closed her eyes and willed these demons to leave her alone.  
  
Xander raised his hand and cleared his throat gaining the attention of everyone in the room, except Giles who was still absorbed in the text of the spell. "May Switzerland make a suggestion?" he asked tentatively.  
  
"Who?" Buffy asked her eyes snapping open.  
  
"You know the neutral guys," Xander said. He had learned some things in high school. Or maybe it had been those old WWII movies.  
  
"Oh," Buffy said in annoyance. "I guess."  
  
"Why don't I do it," Xander said. "I have a connection to Buffy, too. In fact everyone in this room does."  
  
"Great, why don't we all go, then," Cordelia suggested. This was getting to be ridiculous. By the time they get this figured out I am going to have my first wrinkle, she thought to herself.  
  
"Yeah, maybe we could play Red Rover with them," Xander suggested sarcastically. "If we capture one of their guys does that mean he has to be on our side?"  
  
"Or," Cordelia said a mischievous smile spreading across her face. "We could send Giles and Wesley and they could bore them to death."  
  
Wesley chose to take the high road by ignoring Cordelia's provocative remark and Giles was still too caught up the book. He hadn't even heard her.  
  
Xander, however, couldn't let this remark pass. "Or," he began copying Cordy. "We could just send you and you could be yourself. That should do the trick."  
  
Cordelia glared at Xander. "Or," she said planning on giving him a major set down.  
  
"Stop it!" Buffy cried interrupting the rest of Cordelia's insult. She reached up to rub her forehead. Her headache was coming back.  
  
"Are you okay?" Willow asked in concern. She had been watching Buffy during this exchange of insults between Cordy and Xander. She had lost more of her color and looked like a corpse. The tension in the room was weakening her.  
  
"No," Buffy said glaring at her so called friends. They weren't making this situation any easier. She still had to choose between Riley and Angel. Why couldn't she have a third choice? She didn't think Xander counted as her third choice. He wasn't strong enough.  
  
Giles, finally feeling the tension around him looked up from the book and gazed around the room. "What's wrong?" he asked. He hated admitting that he hadn't been paying any attention to the occupants of his establishment, but this spell was simply fascinating. He passed the book to Wesley who had been trying to read the book over his shoulder. He knew the other British scholar would be as fascinated by it as he had been.  
  
"Hey G-man glad you could join us," Xander replied.  
  
Willow knowing how much Giles hated that nickname grimaced and said, "Buffy's dream is going to be a little crowded."  
  
"Oh and how is that?" Giles did not even seem to register the fact that Xander had called him by that hateful nickname. In fact he had gotten so used to it that he didn't even hear it anymore.  
  
"Everyone wants to be in my dreams, Giles," Buffy told him sleepily. "Can you please tell them that we only have the budget for one guest star."  
  
Giles looked confused, but only briefly. "Ah," he said as he took in Angel and Riley's tense stances. He was afraid something like this would happen. Things were so much easier when Buffy restricted herself to one boyfriend at a time.   
  
"I don't want to go," Cordelia said. She didn't want to be lumped in with Xander. "Dealing with the stuff in my own head is annoying enough. I don't think I could handle what goes on in Buffy's head." Cordelia gave an expressive shudder and turned away from the group to explore the shop. She had never been in this shop before. When she had been a resident of Sunnydale she had tried to keep her distance from all the strangeness that seemed to surround Buffy and Co., especially post Xander.   
  
"And I can't go," Willow reminded everyone. She had to actually run the spell.  
  
"So that leaves the three macho men," Cordelia replied as she placed a jar of rat-tails back on the shelf. "Unless the two wise men would like to get into the act?"  
  
"Do you really think you can handle these guys?" Riley asked Xander skeptically.Xander shrugged his shoulders in reply. He didn't really want to confront the demons in Buffy's head he was just trying to make a point. "I think I could hold my own."  
  
Cordelia gave a snort of disbelief. "Yeah you could hold your own mouth to keep the screams in, you mean."  
  
Xander glared at Cordelia but withheld his withering comeback. Of course he didn't really have a withering comeback at the moment so it wasn't that difficult.  
  
"I am afraid that Cordelia has a point," Wesley said trying to be tactful. "These vampires seem to be quite strong, especially now that they have fed off of Buffy."   
  
Again Xander shrugged. He was a little hurt that his friends thought he was too weak to help out someone he cared about, but he wasn't that upset since he had had no intention of going into Buffy's head. He would leave that job to Angel and possibly her shrink, if she ever got one.  
  
"So do we have this settled now?" Angel asked impatiently. He could see that this discussion was taking a lot out of Buffy.   
  
"No," Riley said crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at Angel.  
Giles sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked at Buffy and realized that they were running out of time. Her eyes kept drifting shut and her breathing was getting deeper. She looked like she was asleep. "Buffy," he said sharply and was relieved when her eyes opened and she gave him a sleepy smile.  
  
"Riley, give it up. Can't you see that the more you argue the more danger Buffy is in," Xander said pointing to the weakened Slayer.  
  
"Exactly," Riley responded. He wasn't about to give up. He wanted to save Buffy.He wanted to save the woman he loved. What was so wrong about that?  
"Giles," Buffy pleaded. This was too much for her.   
  
"Yes, well," Giles hemmed. He wished that Riley would back down. He didn't want to have to hurt the young man's feelings by telling him that Angel was the only one who could enter Buffy's mind. He didn't want to have to tell him that the connection between Buffy and Angel was stronger than any other connection she would ever make."Giles," Buffy repeated in the same pleading tone. She was asking her friend and mentor to take the decision out of her hands. She was too weak to make any decisions right now.  
  
"Right," Giles said. Fortunately, for him, the decision lay in the text of the spell. "Willow is correct in saying that this spell is very dangerous."  
  
"I am aware of the dangers," Riley replied holding his temper in check. He realized that all of this turmoil was only weakening Buffy, but he couldn't understand why she couldn't just pick him and let them get on with the spell. He didn't really believe that Angel was the best person to help her. He couldn't believe that or he would know that his relationship with Buffy was really over.  
  
"Not all of them," Giles told him. "Even if this spell is successful you will still need an incredible amount of strength to overcome the effects of it."  
  
"What effects?" Riley asked cautiously. He thought he had had all the information about the risks of this spell. He had been able to overcome his natural aversion to dying in order to help Buffy, but that was before he knew there were other dangers.  
  
"There are the dangers of the vampires to deal with of course, but there is also the dangers of returning to the body. Willow mentioned a few of them, but she didn't know about all of them. You see your spirit will be leaving your body and entering Buffy's mind. This leaves your body weakened and vulnerable. You will have to maintain some kind of link to your own body so that when you are ready to return your spirit can find its way back. Not only can you become trapped in Buffy's mind, but also you can lose your way and never return to your body. You will be cast adrift, again ensuring the death of your body." Giles hoped that this would be enough to scare Riley out of his determination to be the one to save Buffy. He really didn't think his spirit was strong enough to handle the rigors of the spell.  
  
Riley frowned as he tried to assimilate this new information. It sounded like Giles didn't want him to be the one to help Buffy. It sounded like Giles didn't think he was strong enough, and maybe he wasn't. Again Angel's question popped into his brain. Was he really willing to give up his life to save Buffy? He thought he had answered that question, now he wasn't sure.  
  
Giles could see that Riley was having second thoughts about his participation in this spell. He was glad. "This spell is going to take a lot out of both Buffy and the person who enters her mind. It takes someone with amazing strength to survive it."  
  
"Someone who has the strength of a Slayer," Angel said. "And a very strong soul." Angel believed that his body and soul could stand the rigors of his leap into Buffy's mind. His soul had fought his own demon for over a century, it could certainly face the demons in Buffy's sleep and the dangers of this spell.  
  
Riley nodded his head in defeat. He finally recognized that he did not have the strength to save Buffy. He would just end up getting himself killed, and maybe he wasn't quite ready for that after all. "Fine. Is there ANYTHING I can do to help?" Riley asked in frustration. He wanted to help Buffy. He needed to help.  
  
Willow let out the breath she had been holding. She was thankful that Giles had been able to get through to Riley. She felt better about attempting the spell. She knew that Angel was the right one to save Buffy. "Of course there is something you can do to help," Willow said going over to Riley and putting her hand on his arm. It was the only way she could give him some comfort. "I will need the help of all of you."  
  
"I hope we don't have to touch anything," Cordelia said. She had no intention of going anywhere near the eyeballs.  
  
"No, Cordy, you don't have to touch anything," Willow replied in exasperation. "It will be your job to help Angel keep his link to his body. He will need your spiritual vibrations to find his way back."  
  
"I mean is there anything I can do help Buffy," Riley objected. He didn't want to have anything to do with saving his rival. He had too much hatred for Angel. He hated him because he seemed to be everything that Buffy wanted and needed. He hated Angel because he was everything that he was not.  
  
"This will help Buffy," Giles said sharply. "Angel will need the link to his body if he is going to be able to protect Buffy. If he loses that link the body will die and his soul will leave this realm. If this happens while he is trying to help Buffy she could be left without his help."  
  
Riley again nodded his head in defeat. It seemed that he was going to have help his rival after all. "What do I have to do?"  
  
"We sit in a circle around Buffy and Angel and chant an incantation. It means that you will have to keep positive thoughts about Angel, can you do this?" Willow asked Riley. She knew this would be hard for Riley but it was vitally important for the spell.  
  
Riley looked over at Buffy who was sitting on the floor staring up at him. Could he do it, would he do it? she was asking him silently with her eyes. He honestly didn't know if he could think positive thoughts about the ex-vampire, but he was willing to give it a try if it meant saving Buffy's life. "Yes," he answered and was rewarded by the blinding smile that Buffy sent his way. He hoped she truly appreciated the sacrifice he was making for her. This was going to be very difficult for him.  
  
"Thank you," Buffy told him softly. She was relieved that he had stepped aside. She felt that she could now focus on the fight that was ahead of her. She didn't give any thought to the sacrifice Riley was making, she didn't have any room for his feelings at this time. She only had room for the fight.  
  
"So is it all settled now?" Angel asked a hint of annoyance in his voice.  
  
"Yes," Riley said avoiding Angel's eyes.   
  
"Good," Angel replied. "So now what?" Angel looked towards Willow. She was in charge of this operation now and he was willing to take her orders.  
  
"Xander draw a circle around Buffy and Angel," Willow said handing the chalk to Xander. "Cordy place the candles at even intervals around the circle and light them."  
  
"I've been thinking," Wesley said looking up from his study of the spell.  
  
"Uh, oh," Cordelia said sotto voce as she bent over to light the black candles. "We're in trouble now."  
  
Wesley glared at Cordy and then resumed his speech. "I believe we may be able to enhance this spell. Make it more effective and safer for both Angel and Buffy."  
  
"What are you suggesting?" Giles asked his curiosity piqued. It was nice working with someone who had also been trained in the Watcher knowledge. He knew that he could count on Wesley's suggestion to be feasible and free of any school boy humor.  
  
Wesley's finger tapped the cover of the book containing the spell. "I have been re-reading Flint's treatise on the efficacy of gemstones. He suggests that the use of gemstones during a spell, which does not actually use them as part of the ritual, can in fact increase the effects of the spell," he explained.  
  
"Well diamonds are a girls best friend," Xander quipped. He had finished drawing the circle that would enclose the chosen pair and was sitting at the table watching the two Watchers.   
  
"Has anyone else been able to prove his findings?" Giles asked. He had read the treatise as well, but hadn't been very impressed with it.  
  
"No," Wesley answered, "but I believe it is worth trying in this particular situation."  
  
"Sure, why not?" Xander said. "What do we have to lose?"  
  
"Um, that would be me," Buffy replied raising her hand. She wasn't sure she wanted to be anyone's guinea pig.  
  
"I don't believe it will actually harm the spell in any way," Giles told her. In spite of himself, Giles was intrigued by Wesley's suggestion. He moved into the back room where Buffy trained and pulled an old black satchel off of a shelf. He brought the bag back into the front room and placed it on the table. "There is one remaining question, however," he said as he began to place several gemstones onto the table.  
  
"Go ahead G-man, lay it on us." Xander picked up a large white crystallized stone and began tossing it into the air catching it on its descent.  
  
Giles snatched the stone out of the air and returned it to the table with an annoyed thud. "The question is, which stone do we use?" Every Watcher was trained in the properties of gemstones so that they could pass that knowledge on to their Slayers, but that knowledge did not provide Giles with the answer to this specific question.  
  
"The prettiest one," Cordelia suggested running her hand over the smooth surface of a large specimen of rose quartz.  
  
"The prettiest one is not always the best one," Xander said trying to bait Cordelia. She decided to ignore him.  
  
"Isn't there one that has something to do with being a medium?" Buffy asked trying to remember the little bit she had managed to learn about gemstones. They had never interested her very much, unless they were small enough to fit on her finger or in her ears.  
  
"Ugh, who would want to be a medium?" Cordy asked. "Of course I guess it is better than being a large."  
  
Xander laughed. Willow tittered. Cordelia glared.  
  
"No, Cordelia a medium, like Madame Valenska," Angel told her using the name of the phony psychic, who had charged the brunette fifty dollars to assure her that her acting career was going to be long and prosperous.  
"If someone is a magical medium then  
they are able to receive spiritual energy from other beings," Wesley added before Cordelia could insist that Madame Valenska was definitely an extra extra-large.  
  
"Like Whoopi in 'Ghost'," Willow clarified after she had gotten her amusement under control.  
  
Giles, who had been rooting around in the black satchel during this exchange, pulled out a round glass object. He placed it on the table where the overhead lights glinted on the copper flecks embedded in the glass. "I do believe you were listening to me," he said looking at Buffy with a pseudo-shocked expression on his face.  
  
"Its been known to happen," Buffy said impishly.  
  
"Is that a Goldstone?" Wesley asked picking up the stone to examine it closely.  
  
"Yes," Giles said. "And Buffy is correct. It is also known as a transmitter stone. It allows light to pass through the intended receiver of the spiritual energy, preparing them to share their minds and souls with the conveyor. If Flint is correct this stone should aid in the transference of Angel's soul into Buffy's mind."  
  
"I should think it would," Wesley replied. He was impressed with Giles' Goldstone. He had never seen one quite this big before.  
  
Willow picked up another small rock and held it in her opened hand. "And we can use this to help strengthen Angel for that transference."  
  
"Ah, yes, Sard," Giles said. "Excellent idea, Willow." He began to extract several more lumps of the agate and placed them on the table. "That should do very nicely to bind Angel's soul to his body."  
  
Willow had a pleased smile on her face as she scooped up the other pieces of Sard and entered the magic circle. "Well that's everything," she said indicating that all of the ingredients for the spell had been assembled. Then she turned to instruct Angel to lay down next to Buffy. Angel was about to comply with her direction when Giles spoke.  
  
"We've forgotten something," Giles said. He had retrieved the book from Wesley and had been going over the spell one last time when the mention of one final ingredient caught his eye.  
  
Willow looked at him in confusion and stepped out of the circle. She was sure that she had all of the ingredients placed on the table. "What?" she asked and then her eyes lit up with remembrance. "We need a symbol of their connection." She remembered the all-important ingredient suddenly. When she had contemplated using this spell on Oz she had planned to use the PEZ witch he had given her.  
  
Buffy looked at Angel and suddenly smiled. She knew of the perfect symbol. "Riley can you do me a favor?" she asked gently.  
  
"I guess," he replied cautiously. He didn't know if he was going to like doing this favor, but he would do anything she asked of him.  
  
"I need you to go to the apartment and get something out of my jewelry box," Buffy said. "Do you know where it is?"  
  
"It's on the dresser," Riley responded. "What do you need?" He couldn't think of anything she had in her jewelry collection that was a symbol of her relationship with a vampire. He had looked in the box once and had seen a varied collection of crosses and earrings.  
  
"There is a drawer under the box. In it is a black velvet bag. Bring me the bag," Buffy told him. She waited until he nodded that he understood her directions and then looked back at Angel with an intensity that was felt around the room.  
  
Riley watched as the connection again flared between the ex-vampire and Slayer. He felt an overwhelming sadness over take him. He could never compete with the intensity of their bond. "You will wait for me to return?" he asked Willow tearing his eyes away from Buffy and Angel.  
  
"Yes," Willow assured him and started to push him out the door. She knew that they didn't really have a lot of time. "Hurry."  
  
Angel and Buffy were still shooting messages at each other with their eyes. They were telling each other that they remembered that night. That night that had started out so well, but had ended in tragedy. The night that had changed their relationship forever. Angel's eyes were conveying the same message he had given her then. He was telling her without words that he loved her, that she was the most important thing in his life. Without taking his eyes from Buffy's he reached into the collar of his shirt and pulled out a silver chain. And dangling at the end of the chain was the perfect symbol of their connection.  
  
Buffy's eyes filled with tears and her lips trembled as she gave Angel a wide smile. His claddagh ring glistened in the light as it twisted on the upheld chain. She couldn't believe he still had it, still kept it close to him. She had been hoping that he would remember the ring as a symbol of their love, but she never dared to dream that it would still be in his possession. She rapidly blinked back the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks. She was tired of crying. She didn't want her emotions to interfere with her ability to fight the vampires that were closing in on her. On the other hand, she was grateful for the emotions. She was glad she was able to feel the passion that Angel always brought to the surface in her. She had been afraid that she would never feel that way again. Everything was more intense with Angel. The highs were higher and the lows were lower. She didn't have that passion with Riley and she had missed it very much.  
  
Angel stood staring at Buffy the ring twisting in the light at the periphery of his vision. He was amazed that she still had her ring. He had expected her to get rid of it after everything that had happened between them. He knew for a fact that she had stopped wearing it after the return of Angelus. She hadn't even worn it when he had returned from Hell and they had resumed their relationship. He had been afraid that she was rejecting the gift of his love. Now he knew better. She would never reject his love. It would always be a part of her just like it was a part of him. His heart lifted and he gave Buffy a happy smile as he realized that maybe coming to Sunnydale to win her back was not such a bad idea after all. Yes, they had a lot of hurt between them, but they also had this ring. They would always have the love and passion that flared between them with just a look. The love and passion that was symbolized by the ring that he kept close to his now beating heart.   
  
"Does that mean that Riley was sent on a wild goose chase?" Xander asked. Not that he really minded. The guy was beginning to get on his nerves.   
  
"No," Willow said. She had located a pestle and mortise in Giles' supplies and was now pouring a bag filled with basil leaves into the stone bowl. "The connection will be strengthened by having both rings."  
  
"Well they do say that two are better than one," Xander replied with a shrug.  
  
"And 7 is a crowd," Cordelia said nodding her head in the direction of Angel and Buffy. They were still gazing intently at each other. Angel had joined Buffy on the floor and was removing the chain from around his neck.  
  
The five other occupants of the room moved away from the two lovers and congregated around the table that held the supplies for the spell. Giles and Wesley were slightly embarrassed by the depth of emotion that was flowing off of Angel and Buffy. Willow thought it was very sweet. Cordelia was mildly disgusted. She wasn't looking forward to the rerun of the Buffy and Angel show. And Xander was amused. He was imagining what Anya would have to say about the situation. It was at times like this that he missed her. It had been hard to let her go, but she had needed to come to grips with her humanity. She had been a demon for a very long time and the loss of her powers had slowly eaten away at her. At first she had seemed to accept her fate, but as the years passed she had become angry and withdrawn. Her leaving had been for the best but he still missed her.  
  
Buffy and Angel remained oblivious to the others as they continued to feed the connection that bound them together for life. "You still have your ring," Angel finally said bemusedly.  
  
"Yes," Buffy replied. She still had a smile on her face and was not feeling the least bit tired. "You still have yours." Buffy reached out and touched the ring where it lay on the floor between them. The metal was still warm from the heat of Angel's body.  
  
"Yes," Angel said. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her breathless. He wanted to carry her to his bed and make love to her all night long. He settled with trailing his fingers along her cheek and then over to trace her lips.  
  
Buffy sighed expelling her breath to tickle Angel's questing fingertips. She wanted him to kiss her. She wanted him to carry her to bed and make love to her all night long. She settled for placing her hand over his heart, where she could feel the thumping beat of that organ as it pumped life through him.  
  
Over at the table Willow was explaining the ritual to the others. It was important that they understood their roles, especially Xander, Joyce and Cordelia.  
  
"How come these spells are never written in English?" Xander complained. "I seemed to have skipped the foreign and obscure language class at Sunnydale High."  
  
"Xander," Willow said rolling her eyes. "You don't have to actually understand what you are saying, you just have to say it."  
  
"Oh, well in that case I guess I feel much better about my ignorance," Xander returned.  
  
"Grow up, Xander," Cordelia said. "Its just Latin."  
  
"And I suppose you speak Latin fluently?" Xander mocked. "I am sure it really helps with all the rocket scientists you date in LA right?"  
  
Cordelia gifted Xander with a withering stare and returned her gaze to the scribbling in the book. She decided not to give Xander the set down he deserved. It was time to concentrate on the spell, and her role in the ritual. "We just have to say these three little lines?" she asked Willow. She wanted to make sure she had it right. She didn't think there would be room for any mistakes.  
  
"Just those three little lines," Willow confirmed. She looked over at Joyce noticing that she was mumbling the lines to herself. "You can write them down if that would help."  
  
Xander leaped up from his seat at the table. "Boy, would it!" he exclaimed as he ran towards the cash register and the pad of paper that Giles kept close beside it. He grabbed three pens and took them back to the table where he doled out pieces of paper and the pens to the three novice witches.  
  
"Are you sure you can handle this spell?" Wesley asked Willow in some concern. She had much more than three little lines to say.   
  
"No," Willow answered honestly. "But we haven't come up with another plan, so I have to handle it don't I?"  
  
At that moment Riley returned to the magic shop. He went over to Buffy clearing his throat to gain her attention. Buffy swiftly removed her hand from where it had been tangled in Angel's hair. Guiltily she raised her gaze to Riley's stormy glare and blushed. Riley dropped the velvet bag into Buffy's lap and moved away in disgust, his pride coming the rescue, keeping him from sobbing out loud.  
  
Angel retrieved the bag from Buffy's lap and opened it. He dumped the small ring into his palm and closed his fingers over it letting the sharp edges of the crown bite into his hand. He immediately felt the magic of his connection to Buffy flow through him. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift back to the night he had given her the ring. He let himself feel the emotions that he had felt on that night. Love and hope along with sorrow and guilt. Love and hope because he had finally found the only person that could take away some of the pain that troubled his soul. Sorrow because he was leaving her behind while he tried to save the world from Spike and Drusilla's evil intentions. And guilt because of what he was.  
  
"Nothing was ever very simple for us, was it?" Buffy asked. She had watched Angel's face as the emotions rippled across it. She knew what was in his heart because it was in hers too.  
  
"No it wasn't," Angel said letting a small humorless laugh escape him. Talk about the understatement of the century.  
  
Willow cleared her throat and waited for Angel and Buffy to look at her before she spoke. "Are you two ready?" She had the mortise in one hand preparing to sprinkle the crushed herbs on the floor around them.  
  
"Wait," Buffy said looking around the room. She was looking at all the important people in her life. How would they feel if she didn't wake up? She had to say something to them, especially to her mother and Riley.   
  
Willow stepped away from the sacred circle and nodded her head in understanding. She realized it was important for Buffy to say her good-byes just in case. Her mind shied away from this morbid thought, she couldn't afford to have doubts about her ability to perform this spell. It would doom it before she ever began.  
  
"Mom," Buffy said motioning for her mother to come closer. "I will be coming back, but just in case I don't I want you to know that I love you and I am sorry that I couldn't be the daughter you deserved." Tears streamed down Buffy's cheeks as she apologized for not being the normal girl they had both wanted her to be.  
  
Joyce entered the circle and knelt down next to Buffy. "I have always been proud of you Buffy, and I have always loved you as much as I do now," Joyce replied. She leaned down and hugged Buffy, thinking that it could be the last time she did so. She released her grip on Buffy and stepped out of the circle.  
  
"Riley," Buffy said next. She had a few things she had to say to him. She couldn't leave this world without letting him know that he meant a great deal to her. He had been there, ready to love her, when she was convinced that she was unlovable.  
  
Riley stepped into the circle and sat down next to Buffy. He needed to be close to her. He needed to tell her that he loved her one more time. He couldn't let her go without telling her that she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He started to tell her everything that was in his heart, but her fingers on his lips stopped his confession.  
  
"No, let me go first," Buffy said. "Riley, I know things have been tense between us these last couple of days and I just want to apologize. I really do care about you and my life would have been empty without you to help fill the void. I will always love you for that."  
  
Riley didn't try to analyze what Buffy had said to him. He knew that if he thought about it too much, he would be disappointed and possibly even hurt. He decided he would just treasure her words and the fact that she had chosen to speak to him before she embarked on this journey to save her life.  
  
"I love you," Riley said and then kissed her lightly on the lips. He wanted to say more, much more, but he was aware that time was running out. Buffy had to confront the psychic vampires while she still had enough strength to defeat them. He stood up and joined the rest of the Scoobies outside the circle.  
  
Buffy looked at the rest of her friends and smiled at each of them in turn. They all meant so much to her. Giles, a better father to her than her own father was. Willow the sister she never had. Xander, her best friend, and the one clown who could never scare her. She would even miss Cordy, the friend who wasn't always a friend unless you were in trouble. And of course there was Wesley. He had grown from the dork she disliked into someone who was worthy of her respect and admiration.  
  
"I will come back," Buffy said again. "But if I don't I love you all." It was a short message far from what she wanted to say to each of them, but it would have to do. She was beginning to feel tired again and knew that she didn't have the time for lengthy good-byes.  
  
She turned to Willow and said, "Now I am ready. What do we have to do?"  
  
"You need to put your rings on and then lay down. Once you are asleep, Buffy, I will begin the spell which will allow Angel to join you," Willow replied. She wiped a small tear from her eye, the only sign of her emotions that she would allow. She had to stay strong and focused.  
  
Buffy picked up Angel's ring that still sat on the floor between them. Then she picked up his hand and slid the larger claddagh ring onto his finger. She smiled at him, raised his hand to her lips and kissed the ring, mimicking the gesture she had used so long ago.  
  
Angel tightened his grip on her hand squeezing it with a silent message. Then he opened his hand and looked at the tiny ring that sat in his palm. "My people, before I was changed, they exchanged this as a sign of devotion. It's a claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty and the heart represents…well, you know. Wear it with the heart pointing towards you. It means you belong to someone," Angel explained using the same words he had used on that fateful night. Then he slid the ring onto Buffy's finger with the heart pointing inward.  
  
Buffy smiled at him with tears shimmering in her eyes, making them look like deep blue pools of water. She remembered that same speech and she was touched that he had thought to use the same words.  
  
Angel leaned towards Buffy with the intention of kissing her. Their lips were almost touching when a sound from the group gathered around the circle reached his consciousness. He had almost forgotten that they had an audience. He pulled back sharply not willing to put all of his feelings on display. He was a private man by nature and not even Buffy could break through his reserves. "I love you," he whispered instead guaranteeing that she was the only one to hear him say it. He felt like he needed to say that he still loved her.   
  
"I love you, too," Buffy whispered back. She was glad he had said it. She had needed to hear him say those three little words. Her eyes told him that she was grateful that he had admitted his feelings. Then Buffy and Angel lay down on the blanket that was covering the cold floor of the magic shop. Willow placed one of the Sard stones below Angel's feel, one above his head and one on his chest. He would need the stones to help strengthen his body and soul for the transfer. She also placed the Goldstone in Buffy's hand. Then she stepped out of the circle and indicated that they were ready to start the spell.  
  
Buffy closed her eyes and let the exhaustion she felt carry her towards the dream world where the vampires were waiting for her. The last thing she felt before she drifted away was Angel taking her hand in his and whispering "Be careful," into her ear.  



	8. Chapter 7

Note from Rain: My cousin Sunny wrote this fanfic, I'm just posting it for her because she cannot. Oh, you'll also have to excuse the spell in this chapter. I've never written one before, but I did do some research for it, so I hope it's an okay spell. I worry about the details. :)  
  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the god of the Buffiverse. I just borrowed his children for some fun. All the characters in this story belong to him, except the evil ones who belong to Rain. Thanks Rain for letting me play with them.  
  
I Do  
By Sunny  
CHAPTER SEVEN  
  
Angel lay next to Buffy and listened to her breathing. He could feel her slip away from him as she fell deeper and deeper into her dream world. He tightened his grip on her hand, wanting to let her know that he was there for her, and that he would always be there for her.  
  
"She's asleep," Angel whispered into the stillness. Then he closed his eyes and waited to join Buffy in her dreams.  
  
After hearing Angel's whispered comment, Willow began chanting the main incantation of the spell. She was sitting on the floor just outside the sacred circle with the Orb of Delego Viridis resting in front of her. The rest of the Scoobies were spaced out evenly around the circle waiting for her cue to start chanting the linking part of the spell.  
  
"Janus, guardian of the threshold,  
I call upon thee,  
Create in this orb a gateway  
Per mutatio mentum duarum  
Let two become one  
Auris voci remotae  
Let my voice be heard, my will be done  
So mote it be"  
  
The Latin words tripped lightly off of her tongue as she swayed back and forth, her hands hovering over the globe. She paused halfway through the first recital of the incantation and poured the remnants of the potion onto the smooth surface of the green glass. She rubbed the crushed herbs and eye of newt all over the glass and then resumed her chanting.  
  
Suddenly the Orb in front of her began to glow; softly at first, but as her hands continued to massage the surface the faint light grew into a blinding burst of green light. The flames of the candles flickered and a hazy green fog rose up from the outline of the circle. Angel cried out in surprise as his soul pulled away from his body and hovered overhead looking down at his body lying so still next to Buffy. He should have been scared by the sensation of looking down at his own body, but he wasn't. He had been through this before.  
  
As Willow uttered the words they had picked as their cue the rest of the gang began their chanting, repeating the lines over and over. "Catenus penetralis corporeus animus, ductor domus, immemor bona verba caecus animus aufugio." A thin green line began to form connecting Angel's soul and his body. Their chanting became stronger fueled by their confidence and the green line strengthened and darkened. Then the gemstones used to strengthen Angel's body and soul began to glow as well, casting an eerie white light over his body. The link was now complete, with the added protection of the Sard stones, but the Scoobies would need to continue chanting to maintain the link.  
  
Willow's voice had grown louder as she repeated her part of the spell. She was still rocking back and forth in front of the Orb, but had removed her hands from the surface as soon as it had begun to glow. Her eyes flew open and she appeared to be staring at Angel's soul as it hovered above her. Her voice became demanding as she ordered the soul into the glowing green globe sitting in front of her. As soon as she finished the command Angel's soul was sucked into the Orb. She completed the incantation for the second time and added two new lines, which helped to speed Angel on his way into Buffy's dream world.  
  
********  
  
"Finally," Buffy gasped as Angel materialized beside her. She had a harried expression on her face and she was scanning the cemetery instead of looking at Angel. A fresh cut oozed from her forehead and the back of her sweater had bits of grass and dirt stuck to it. She was breathing heavily as if she had just been in a fight. "They attacked me just as I fell asleep. It was all I could do to keep them off of me. Then they just disappeared."  
  
"Sorry," Angel replied also scanning the cemetery. "I had to stop for supplies." He held up a wicked looking axe and grinned. The handle of the axe was at least two feet long and the blade looked to be about 10 inches long. The head of the axe was silver and decorated with ancient Celtic symbols.  
  
Buffy finally looked over at him and her eyes widened. "Cool," she said. "But how did you get a weapon?" She had only been able to defend herself using a broken tree branch.  
  
Angel shrugged his shoulders. He didn't really understand how he had gotten the weapon. His soul had been hanging over his body one minute, then encased in the green globe, before finally being sucked into Buffy's dream. He had remembered thinking as he whizzed from the globe into Buffy's mind that he should have brought a weapon and poof the thing appeared in his hand.  
  
"It just appeared," he answered.  
  
"It just appeared?" Buffy asked staring at him in disbelief.  
  
"Yeah. I thought I should have brought a weapon and then this one just appeared."  
  
"Just like that?" Weren't there any rules to this thing? she asked silently.  
  
"Just like that," Angel confirmed. "Try it."  
  
Buffy took one last look around the cemetery to see if the bad guys were lurking close by and then closed her eyes. She imagined a small, but deadly battle-axe Giles had in his private collection. The handle was short, only about 12 inches or so, but the blade was curved and had a length of about 6 inches. It was very sharp and had a 4-inch pick at the other end. Suddenly Buffy could feel the weight of the axe in her hand. She tightened her grip around it thankful for its comforting presence.  
  
"Way cool," Buffy said as she opened her eyes and looked down at the weapon she held in her hand.  
  
"Slayer," hissed the wind. "SSSlayer."  
  
"That's my name, don't wear it out," Buffy shouted into the wind. Of course it wasn't really her name, but sometimes she felt like it was. It was how she was known in the demon world.  
  
"Still defiant?" the wind asked. "We will soon change that."  
  
"I wouldn't bet the moldy crypt you call home on it," Buffy returned. She slowly turned herself around in a circle hoping to get a glimpse of her foes before they attacked. She hated being ambushed.  
  
"Our crypt is not moldy," a separate voice answered. The voices had always spoken as one before as if presenting a united front. But now, one of the demons had broken rank and was responding on a more personal level.  
  
"Sorry," Buffy drawled her tone indicating that she was anything but. She had noticed that only one demon had responded to her last taunt. She was aiming for the divide and conquer method. "I guess I should have said dusty."  
  
"Its not dusty, either," replied the lone voice. "At least not more than any other crypt. Do you know how hard it is to keep a crypt clean?"  
  
"I'll keep that in mind next time I'm looking to buy a crypt," Buffy told the disembodied voice. She had finally stopped her scan of the cemetery and was standing with her eyes closed listening to the demon voice. She was hoping she could locate her enemies by using her special Slayer senses.  
  
"Silence," the wind roared whipping Buffy's hair around her face and into her eyes. "We don't have time for these games."  
  
Buffy pulled her hair back from her face. "But, I was learning so much about crypts," she said. "I spend so much time here in the cemetery anyway, that I was thinking of making one my new home."  
  
"Your tricks will not work on us," the wind answered using both voices again.  
  
Buffy sighed realizing that the divide and conquer method was not going to work. It didn't matter; she couldn't seem to locate the demons anyway. They were going to have to show themselves, and soon. She was getting antsy.  
  
"So show yourselves and lets get this done," Angel said speaking for the first time since the vampires had announced their presence. He realized that he and Buffy were at a disadvantage because of their opponent's ability to hide themselves.  
  
"Ah dessert," the wind sighed in pleasure. "It has been a long time since we have had dessert."  
  
Buffy turned to look at Angel, a big grin spreading across her face. "Oh he's very tasty," she assured the psychic vampires. "But I am afraid that you are not going to get the chance to find out just how yummy he is."  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
"Because we are going to kill you first," Buffy replied. Widening her stance, she shifted the axe in her hands tensing her whole arm in preparation for battle.  
  
The wind fluttered gently through the trees bringing the sound of laughter to Buffy's ears. "My how confident you sound, Slayer. But as you already know, we are very hard to kill."  
  
"But not impossible."  
  
The wind howled with the wrath of the creatures. Leaves and dirt flew through the air and the trees in the cemetery were almost bent in half under the assault of the psychic vampires' anger. The wind buffeted against Buffy and Angel causing them to tense their legs to remain standing.  
  
"I think you made them mad," Angel observed shouting over the wind to be heard.  
  
Buffy just shrugged her shoulders. She wanted to get this done. Angel's presence in her dream had given her added strength, but she could feel it slowly slipping away from her. She knew that she didn't have long before she was weak and vulnerable again. And she knew that they knew it too.  
  
"There were four of you before, right?" Buffy asked after the wind had died down to a gentle breeze.  
  
"You have done your homework well, Slayer," came the voices in response to Buffy's question.  
  
"And there are only two of you left now, right?"  
  
"Yes," the wind whispered almost afraid to admit to any weaknesses.  
  
"So, you are not impervious to harm, then. I can kill you."  
  
Again the wind picked up and whipped around the Slayer and her companion. The screams of rage were almost deafening. Suddenly one of the vampires came running out from behind a mausoleum an ancient Celtic war cry escaping from his mouth.  
  
A grin of triumph spread across Buffy's face. Her plan had worked. She knew that if she made them mad enough they would attack her. She brought her axe up over her head and waited for the vampire to move within striking distance.  
  
Angel, who had moved to stand behind Buffy, also brought his weapon up and held it before him with both hands. He didn't want to interfere unless Buffy needed him. He could sense that this was her fight. She had to be the one to defeat her enemies. Still, he readied himself should she need him.  
  
The psychic vampire continued to rush straight towards Buffy his pale head gleaming in the moonlight. Silent but focused, his intent was easy to read. He was going to kill Buffy. The games were finally over.  
  
Buffy shifted the axe so that it rested lightly on her right shoulder. As soon as the vampire was close enough she brought the axe down at an angle hoping to connect with the vampire's neck. The moonlight glinted off of the polished steel blade as it sliced through the air. At the last second the demon brought up a glinting weapon of his own. Buffy's axe bounced off of the demon's sword with a metallic clang. The impact caused both combatants to turn away from each other so that they were side by side.  
  
"You are no match for us, Slayer," the demon hissed from Buffy's left side.  
  
Buffy's only response was a swift sidekick to the vampire's midsection. When the demon bent over with a grunt, Buffy turned towards him and brought her axe down, but was unable to connect with the vampire's head. She let out a cry of surprise as the other demon came up from behind her and forced her to the ground, causing her drop her weapon. He lay on top of her and lowered his head so that his fangs were inches from the soft skin of her neck. Suddenly the vampire's body went flying.  
  
Angel had entered the fray. He growled low in his throat as he hurtled Buffy's inert form in pursuit of the demon he had kicked off of her.  
  
Buffy grabbed the axe from the ground and hurried to her feet. She turned to face the first vampire, who had his sword pointed towards her chest. She raised her axe and swung it downward with a chopping motion managing to hack off half of the deadly blade.  
  
"We will kill you," vamp #1 said as he jabbed at her with the remaining half of his sword. The jagged metal sliced through the air and caught Buffy in the arm cutting through her sweater and leaving a line of red on her white skin.  
  
"I am not that easy to kill," Buffy said in defiance. Her arm hurt and she was beginning to feel tired, but she didn't want to let the demons know just how fragile she was. Determination filled her face, there was no way she would let them win. There was no way she was going to miss her chance to finally be with Angel.  
  
"That's not what we heard," vamp #2 growled. He had managed to get by Angel and was stalking towards Buffy with a malicious smile on his face.  
  
"All right, who has been spreading the rumors?" Buffy demanded a little breathlessly. She used the handle of the axe to butt the second vampire in the head as he approached, before turning to punch her first foe in the face with a solid right hook.  
  
Angel intercepted the second vamp before he could retaliate against Buffy. "Two on one," Angel said shaking his head in disapproval, "is not fair." He let several punches loose and then slashed at the vampire with his own axe.  
  
Buffy smiled her gratitude at Angel and then turned to concentrate on her own foe. "The reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated," Buffy said pummeling the vampire.  
"That's not what the Master told us," he returned as he ducked the last of Buffy's punches and then followed with several hard punches of his own. Then when he had an opening he jabbed at Buffy with his weapon.  
  
"Oh well sure, you would have to bring up that one time," Buffy said side stepping the vampire's attack. The vampire had been about to plunge his shortened sword into her stomach. "But then again, I'm not dead, am I?"  
  
The vampire stopped and blinked at her. She had surprised him with her comeback. While he was distracted by his shock Buffy brought up her weapon and swung it at his head. The blade sliced through the thick bone covering his brain and implanted itself into the gray and white matter. The vampire convulsed once and slid to the ground with his head cleaved in two. Then his body turned to dust.  
  
"NO!" shouted the other vampire. He turned from Angel and ran over to Buffy swinging a sword of his own. He stopped directly in front of Buffy and lifted his weapon to the sky. A fierce wind whipped through the trees and a blazing light lit up the sky. A wind tunnel formed around the one remaining psychic vampire swirling the dust of his fallen comrade. The wind suddenly stopped and the dust settled. The vampire stared at Buffy a new fire blazing in his eyes.  
  
"Please don't tell me that 'there can be only one'," Buffy said bringing up her weapon in a defensive stance.  
  
The vampire sprang towards her and somersaulted over her head so that he was standing behind her. Before she could turn he grabbed her from behind and yanked on her hair to gain access to her neck.  
  
"Ouch! Watch it, that hurts," Buffy snapped as she dropped her weapon.  
  
"Well, this will hurt even more," the vampire snarled. He brought his mouth down to sink his fangs into her neck.  
  
"Good dogs don't bite," Angel instructed as he pulled the demon away from Buffy. Then he gave the vampire his own brand of discipline. The vampire stumbled backwards trying to evade Angel's flying fists.  
  
Buffy walked over to a convenient gravestone and leaned against the cold gray marble. She felt as if she had battled a hundred demons. "One down and one to go," she sighed softly to herself. Her breathing was labored and her muscles felt like lead. She was extremely grateful that Angel was there to help her. Buffy watched in awe as Angel quickly and efficiently brought the other vampire to his knees.  
  
"Wait," Buffy called and heaved herself away from the support of the gravestone. She walked over to stand beside Angel who had trapped the fallen vamp with a boot upon his neck.  
  
Both of the combatants turned and looked at her in surprise. Angel saw the determined look on her face and lowered the weapon he had been holding poised over the vampire's head, ready to cut it in two.  
  
Buffy leaned down and glared into the trapped demon's eyes. "So why me?" she asked. "Was it for bragging rights?"  
  
"It was for survival," the vampire hissed. "We were the last of my race. Now there is only one."  
  
"What happened?" Buffy inquired softly, a hint of compassion in her voice. She knew what it was like to be the only one.  
  
"Why should I tell you?" the vampire asked in contempt. He struggled briefly but was unable to escape the steady pressure of Angel's foot.  
  
"I'm curious," Buffy replied with a shrug of her shoulders. She couldn't really explain why she wanted to know. She should be jumping at the chance to finally defeat this threat to her life but found that she couldn't close this chapter until she had the whole story.  
  
"Do you need all of the sordid details for your little journal?" the vampire questioned.  
  
"Actually, yes," Buffy returned knowing that Giles would be ecstatic if she managed to fill in the gaping holes in the history of this particular demon.  
  
The demon turned his eyes away from Buffy and clamped his lips together indicating that he was not about to satisfy her curiosity. Angel hauled the vampire up from the ground and held him by his collar. Buffy smiled at the vamp and then punched him hard breaking his nose.  
  
"What happened," Buffy demanded her voice hard and unyielding.  
  
The vampire glared at her and then licked at the blood trickling from his nose. "One night while visiting the homeland of our human birth we fed off of a poor little lass. Turns out she was a changeling," the vampire said reluctantly telling his story.  
  
"A changeling?" Buffy asked.  
  
"A faery child left in a human's cradle," the vampire replied his tone indicating that he thought Buffy was a dumb blonde. "We fed off of her by mistake. Her life force was tainted by her faery heritage and it weakened us. Margaret was the first to die. She had already been weakened by her dissatisfaction with her life. She hadn't wanted to become a vampire. Well, none of us did, but she wasn't able to adjust to her new life and our enhanced powers."  
  
Buffy nodded in understanding. Dissatisfaction with life was nothing new to her. She remembered how she felt when she acquired a new life and new powers.  
  
"Fergus was the next to go. He struggled for about fifty years before he finally succumbed. Malcolm and I were the last and you have destroyed Malcolm," the vampire said a sadness invading his voice. It was hard to be the last of your kind.  
  
"Why did you come after me? You had to know that I would fight back."  
  
"Malcolm thought that if we were able to feed off of a very strong life force than we would be able to combat the taint," the vampire explained. "He thought that if we made you weak enough we would be able to defeat you, but still have enough of your power to cure ourselves."  
  
"What, is Slayer blood some kind of antibiotic for you people?" Buffy asked in disgust. She glared at both the vampire and the former vampire.  
  
"It was just a theory," the vampire said trying to defend himself against Buffy's anger. "I mean we figured that it couldn't hurt."  
  
Angel just looked at her. It had been her blood that had saved him when his unlife had been threatened and he didn't have a good answer for her. He couldn't explain the ironies of life any better than anyone else could. He had acquired a lot of knowledge in 250 plus years of living, but some things could never be answered.  
  
"It hurt me," Buffy said angrily.  
  
The vampire shrugged. "Icing on the cake," he told her an evil smile breaking over his features.  
  
Buffy slammed her fist into the vampire's head so hard that she knocked him out of Angel's grasp. And then instantly regretted her actions. The vampire gave her another evil smirk and picked up the weapon she had dropped.  
  
"Thank you, Slayer," he snarled showing his fangs. He swung the deadly battle-axe in an arc around his head and then slammed the wooden handle against Angel's skull. Angel slid to the ground unconscious.  
  
Buffy groaned as she realized her mistake. Well, curiosity did kill the cat, Buffy thought to herself, as she stood before the vampire weaponless and extremely tired. She just hoped that she had enough strength left to defend herself.  
  
"It may be too late for Malcolm but I am going to live," the vampire said as he charged towards Buffy.  
  
Buffy dropped to the ground in a crouched position and swung her leg around in an arc tripping the vampire before he could attack her. She quickly jumped up and kicked him in the face as he was rising, causing more blood to spurt from his nose.  
  
"I am not going to be your cure," Buffy replied. She danced away from the vampire's slashing weapon and then danced back to aim a roundhouse kick hitting him in the side.  
  
"You don't have a lot of strength left," he responded. "I don't think you have much of a choice." He feinted to the right and then came at Buffy from the left managing to hit her in the side of the face with his fist. "Malcolm's life force is now part of me. I have enough strength to defeat you, Slayer."  
  
Buffy decided to keep the sarcastic comeback to herself. She needed to conserve her energy. With Angel unconscious she knew that she had to rely on her own powers. She attacked the vampire with an uppercut to his chin and edged towards Angel's forgotten axe.  
  
The vampire's head snapped back from the force of Buffy's blow but he recovered quickly and slashed at her with his weapon. Buffy managed to dodge the sharp blade as she moved closer to Angel.  
  
"He can't help you now," the vampire said misconstruing Buffy's intentions. "You are on your own."  
  
"I don't need his help," Buffy replied trying to convince herself. The vampire laughed in return.  
  
By this time Buffy had managed to step closer to Angel and his weapon but she knew that retrieving the weapon was going to be trickier than she thought. The axe was too big for her to pick up with her foot and she wasn't sure she would have enough time to stoop down and get it. The demon was stalking back and forth in front of her, keeping his eyes on her. Buffy wasn't sure what his next move would be, but she knew that he was getting ready for the kill. He reminded her of a cat before it pounced on its prey.  
  
Suddenly the demon stopped moving to stand in front of Buffy. His eyes sharpened as a grin spread across his features and he licked his lips in anticipation. "You look delicious," he said slowly bringing the axe up in front of him.  
  
"T-Thank you," Buffy stammered. What did one say to an archenemy, anyway? She moved closer to the weapon until she could feel the solid wood handle against her booted foot. Then she waited.  
  
With a mighty cry the vampire attacked Buffy. The blade of the axe whistled through the air as the demon swung the weapon at his opponent. Buffy bent backwards trying to evade the sharp blade and left herself open to a high kick from the demon. Because she was already off balance from her evasion of the axe she was unable to stay on her feet. She fell to the ground with a thud but managed to fall close to Angel's weapon. Buffy rolled over the handle of the axe and grasped it in her hand. She came to rest on her back with the head of the axe pointing upwards. The vampire still ignorant of the weapon launched himself on top of Buffy and the axe.  
  
"You will pay for that," the vampire yelled as he quickly rolled off of Buffy. He lay on the ground with a hand trying to cover the huge gushing wound in his chest.  
  
Buffy also lay on the ground gasping for breath. Her strength was almost gone. She turned and looked at Angel's still form willing him to wake up. She desperately needed his help.  
  
Meanwhile, Angel was having problems of his own. As soon as his dream body slumped to the ground his soul went whizzing back to the green globe. And now he was stuck. Through one side of the green tinted glass he could see Willow and the other Scoobies. If he turned completely around he could see Buffy fighting against the remaining psychic vampire through the other side of the glass. He felt like a spectator at a sporting event. He had wanted to help Buffy but now all he could do was stand by helplessly and watch her fight for her life.  
  
"Willow," he cried trying to get her attention. She was still sitting directly in front of the green globe with her eyes closed and her body swaying. He shouted her name several more times and even bruised his fists by banging them against the smooth surface of the green glass. Finally Angel gave up the attempt and turned back around to watch Buffy. She was lying on the ground next to his unconscious dream body, panting from the exertions of the battle.  
  
"Get up, Buffy. Fight him," he encouraged willing his strength into her body. He could tell that she was spent. He was very worried that she would not have enough energy left to fight off the demon. Angel kicked the globe in frustration. He couldn't stand by and watch her die. He couldn't live without her. At that moment he would have gladly taken her place, if that had been allowed. He glared at his useless dream self and cursed its inaction. Why couldn't he get out of this stupid globe? A sudden movement brought his gaze back to Buffy and his heart leapt with joy as she slowly sat up. Then with a flash of green light he whizzed back to his unconscious dream self.  
  
Buffy shook her head trying to evict the pounding sledgehammers that had taken up residence in her skull. She didn't need a headache right now. She needed to concentrate on saving her life. Buffy looked over at the vampire and noticed that he was beginning to recover from his wounds. She used the axe to support herself as she climbed to her feet. She wanted to meet the danger standing. If she was going to die she didn't want to do it laying down.  
  
"It ends now," the vampire said also slowly rising to his feet. The blood spurting from his chest had slowed to a drip and the wound was beginning to close up around the edges. He picked up his fallen weapon and stood before Buffy leaning drunkenly to one side.  
  
"Yes it does," Buffy agreed. She picked up her own weapon and winced at the pain that shot through her ribcage. I probably have a broken rib, she thought to herself as she eyed her foe warily.  
  
A quiet moan issued forth from Angel's lifeless body indicting that he was finally waking up. "Angel, wake up," Buffy whispered insistently. "I need you." Her only answer was another quiet moan.  
  
Buffy sighed, trying to resign herself to the thought of defending her life on her own. Usually this wouldn't be a problem, but the fight had almost gone completely out of her. She didn't think that she had ever felt this weak before, except maybe the time that Amy's mother had tried to kill her with the blood stone vengeance spell. And of course there was her 18th birthday. Now that she thought about it she had gotten herself out of some pretty tough situations. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all.  
  
The psychic vampire resumed his pre-pounce pacing and his wound completely closed itself. The two stayed like that for several minutes. The vampire stalking back and forth in front of Buffy, who was standing and watching him with a wary stare. Finally Buffy's impatience won out over her self-preservation instinct and she rushed towards the vamp with her weapon upraised. He grinned at her and brought his own weapon up to defend himself. The two blades met and locked forcing the two enemies into close proximity with each other. The vampire removed his right hand from his weapon and backhanded Buffy causing her to stumble backwards. She lost her grip on the axe and it went flying over the head of the vampire to imbed itself into the trunk of a nearby tree.  
  
Buffy, cursing her bad luck, steadily moved backwards, out of the range of the demon. He continued to pursue her. She frantically looked at Angel who was beginning to stir but realized that he wouldn't be able to help her. She turned her gaze back to the vamp and his gleaming weapon. He was getting closer and she had nowhere else to go. She was trapped between a gravestone and a hard place. Buffy jumped up onto the stone and flipped herself over the head of the vampire. Before he could turn around she pushed him into the gravestone causing him to fall over onto his head, and then turning, she ran for her weapon.  
  
Buffy heard the vampire screaming in rage as she pulled the axe out of the tree. She smiled slightly to herself. Actually, she wished that she could stand back and watch as he righted himself. She would bet that it was a pretty funny sight. Buffy turned back to face her foe and saw him stalking towards her with a black scowl on his face. He didn't waste any time with words but just started swinging the axe at her head. She had to duck quickly before the sharp blade managed to separate her head from her neck. When she was upright again she leapt into the air swinging one of her legs around in an arc. Her foot connected with the vampire's shoulder and he dropped his weapon arm without losing his grasp on the axe. As soon as she landed, Buffy followed her kick with a left uppercut and a right hook. The demon staggered backwards, but didn't fall.  
  
The vampire recovered his footing and caught her in the face with a right hook of his own. He cut her lip with his fist and then licked her blood from his hand with another evil grin. He was trying to goad her into another imprudent move. He knew that she was almost dead on her feet and that soon she would be just plain dead. He could wait her out, but if she wanted to throw away her strength by fighting, then that was just fine by him.  
  
Angel moaned again and tried to push himself up into a sitting position. His arms gave out and he thumped back to the earth banging his nose on the ground. He could hear the sounds of battle and knew that he needed to get up and help Buffy, but he just couldn't seem to make his body move.  
  
Buffy heard Angel moan but didn't even spare him a glance. She didn't have time. She was using this break in the hostilities to try and recapture some of her energy. She felt like this battle was never going to end. He was going to wait her out and finally she would drop at his feet. Then he could feed off her like a kid finally let loose in a candy store. Buffy shuddered not liking the imagery. She didn't want to be anybody's stomachache.  
  
The psychic vampire started pacing again. He held his weapon loosely at his side. Obviously he didn't feel like she was a threat. He was watching her carefully but didn't look like a cat about to pounce. Buffy hated his whole demeanor. She knew that she was extremely tired, but that didn't mean that she couldn't hold her own. Okay, maybe she couldn't, but he didn't have to know that. He could have at least pretended to be scared for his life. Was it too much to ask to expect the little creep to patronize her? Apparently it was.  
  
Angel managed to roll over onto his back and rubbed at his eyes hoping to clear the cobwebs. He couldn't hear any sounds of battle and was becoming increasingly worried about Buffy. He tipped his head back and saw an upside down version of Buffy standing in a shaft of moonlight. His heart stopped beating for just an instant. She even looked beautiful upside down. Then he saw a movement just in front of her and realized that the other demon was still alive. Angel felt an urgency grip him and again tried to push himself up. He had to get to her before it was too late. He bent his arms and pushed his elbows into the solid ground raising his torso slightly. He leaned there on his elbows for a few seconds and then continued to push himself into a sitting position. It was at times like these that he found himself wishing that he were still a vampire. He would have recovered by now. He would have been able to kill the demon before it could kill Buffy.  
  
"Why don't you just give up," the vampire said to Buffy. "You can't possibly win." He was still marching in front of her waiting for her to either make a move or collapse at his feet. He actually preferred the latter. He was tired too. After all he had been sick for about 75 years.  
  
  
"I can't," Buffy responded. She was watching him pace trying to find an opportunity to attack.  
  
The vampire raised his eyebrows and looked at her. "Why not?" He stood still with his arms crossed over his chest while he waited for her answer.  
  
"Because I wouldn't want to disappoint my mother or my Watcher."  
  
"I imagine they would be disappointed if you were to die," the vampire conceded. He resumed his pacing, but had slowed his steps, letting his guard down. This was the opportunity Buffy had been waiting for.  
  
"No, they would be disappointed because they are forever telling me how stubborn I am. They would be devastated if I died," Buffy said. Then, as the vampire turned to begin his trip back in front of her she put out her foot and tripped him. He sprawled on the ground face down with his weapon lying just out of his reach. Buffy brought her own axe up over her head and used the last of her strength to bring it down slicing through the skull of her opponent. The axe cut through the head of the vampire and sunk into the ground. The demon let out a scream of denial and then turned to dust.  
  
Angel who had managed to get up on his feet reached Buffy just as she collapsed into his arms. Her eyelids fluttered and then closed over her tired blue eyes. "I did it," she whispered as she fell into a deep sleep. Angel hugged her close tears forming in his eyes. She was safe, for now. He didn't want to let her go but he felt an insistent tug upon his soul. He knew it was time go back to his own body. Angel gently laid Buffy upon the ground and let the green light whiz him back into the green globe. She did it, he thought as is soul took the trip back into his own body. He was very proud of her and found that it was possible to love her even more than he had before. Angel knew now that he would never again let her out of his life.  



	9. Chapter 8

  
Note from Rain: My cousin Sunny wrote this fanfic, I'm just posting it for her because she cannot. Well, Here's the last chapter, I'll post the epilogue later this week. Please read and review, it'll keep my cousin partly sane.:) She's driving me crazy looking for new reviews!!  
  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the god of the Buffiverse. I just borrowed his children for some fun. All the characters in this story belong to him, except the evil ones who belong to Rain. Thanks Rain for letting me play with them.  
  
Note part2:  
This part has it all!!  
A Riley/Angel fight  
Verbal sparring!!  
Smoochies!!!  
And...could it be? A Happy Ending in sight??   
Read on!!  
  
*******  
I Do  
CHAPTER EIGHT  
  
Angel let out a quiet moan as he opened his eyes. He didn't think he had ever been so sore in his entire life and that was a long time. He felt like he had gone twenty rounds with a troll and lost. Struggling to sit, Angel managed to heave himself upright with another low moan. That is when he noticed that every eye in the room was trained on him. Slowly, Angel turned his aching head in a circle and encountered the worried stares of all of Buffy's nearest and dearest. He knew what they wanted. If he had been in their shoes he would have been anxious too.   
  
"She did it," he informed them with a grin.  
  
The Scoobies let out a collective sigh of relief, which was quickly interrupted by Riley. "Then why isn't she waking up?" he demanded.  
  
"Okay, good point," Willow said looking at Angel, the worry flooding back into her eyes.  
  
"She fell asleep," Angel replied. He rubbed the back of his neck trying to relieve the pain that was shooting up into his head.  
  
"She fell asleep?" Riley questioned. "How could she just fall asleep?"  
  
"Well, I imagine she was tired," Giles said not meaning to be facetious, but somehow managing it just the same.  
  
"I would imagine so," Wesley said a slight smile on his lips. Somewhere along the way he had acquired a sense of humor.  
"Yes, well," Giles said glaring at the former Watcher. "What I mean is that her life force needs a chance to rejuvenate. Once she has repaired her spirit, she will wake up."  
"She needs her beauty sleep," Cordelia translated for Xander who was looking a little bit lost. He nodded his understanding at her simple definition and turned his eyes back to his slumbering friend.  
  
"Do you think we should move her?" Joyce asked. Her voice was weak and scratchy. Her throat hurt from all of the chanting and she was tired. She couldn't wait to get home and sleep for a year. But, she was still very worried about her daughter. She didn't really want to leave her to sleep on the cold floor of the magic shop.  
  
Again the Scoobies all turned and looked at Angel for the answer, which Riley found annoying. Angel shrugged his shoulders and smothered another groan. He didn't know he could hurt this bad. "I don't think anything is going to wake her up right now," he said. He was still sitting on the floor testing all of his muscles before he stood up. He didn't want to embarrass himself by falling on his face. Angel turned and looked at Buffy a softness stealing over his features. "You would have been so proud of her, Giles," the ex-vampire told the Watcher his own voice filling with pride.  
  
"I know," Giles said his own features softened by his affection for Buffy. He was already extremely proud of her. She had accomplished so much in her tenure on the Hellmouth. She had lived longer and was stronger than any other Slayer. Sometimes he found himself wishing that he could declare his pride in his charge to the whole world. Sometimes he wanted to slap a bumper sticker on his car that read "I am the proud Watcher of the Slayer." But he could never tell people what Buffy really did and bumper stickers were tacky anyway.  
  
"She killed them both, by herself," Angel continued. He rubbed the back of his skull and found a knot there, where he had been knocked unconscious. "Even after I had been knocked out, she managed to defeat them."  
  
"Wait, just a minute," Riley said anger tinting his voice. "What do you mean 'even after I was knocked out'?"  
  
"We were down to one demon and he knocked me out," Angel explained.  
  
"You were supposed to protect her," Riley ground out through clenched teeth, "not get yourself knocked out."  
  
"Its not like I did it on purpose," Angel said in annoyance. He had stretched all of his muscles, grimacing with every strain, but had decided that he could now get up without embarrassing himself. He heaved his aching body up from the floor and swayed slightly trying to regain his balance. He hadn't counted on being dizzy. Of course he should have known. He had been knocked out. Angel turned to Giles and asked, "Giles, what do you usually do for a concussion?"  
  
Giles turned an interesting shade of red and started to mumble something about ice and a lot of aspirin, but fortunately for him he was interrupted by an irate ex-soldier.  
  
"Every one said you were the only one who could protect her," Riley ranted pacing back and forth in front of Angel. "Every one said you were the only one who could enter her dreams. Oh no, Riley, you aren't strong enough. You aren't brave enough; your connection with Buffy is too weak. If your notion of protection was getting a large bump on the skull and a horrendous headache than even Xander could have protected her."  
  
"Hey!" Xander objected thrusting his pointer fingers in the air. "I am not the expert at getting knocked out here. I believe that the award for The Most Concussions belongs to Giles."  
  
Again Giles turned red and began to mumble something in his defense. No one was really paying attention though, so he left off in mid-mumble.  
  
"I protected her," Angel said his anger building. He didn't like anyone casting aspersions on his ability to protect the woman he loved.  
  
"By getting a concussion?" Riley asked. He stopped pacing and glared at Angel.  
  
"In case you forgot there were two of the vampires," Angel replied his voice dripping with contempt. "You may have also forgotten that Buffy was in no condition to take them both on by herself."  
  
"So you let one of them pummel you into oblivion while she was fighting with the other one?" Riley asked. He had turned from anger to biting sarcasm.  
  
Angel decided to end the argument right then and there. He didn't really care what this arrogant boy thought. He had defended Buffy; he had even saved her life. Angel turned away from the fuming ex-soldier and looked at Joyce. "I think it would be safe to take her home," he told her. "She would probably sleep better in her own bed anyway.  
  
Riley stood just outside the still intact sacred circle and let his anger build into a raging whirlwind of emotions. He let his hatred for Angel surge to the surface along with his jealousy of the other man's ability to get past Buffy's defenses. How dare he turn his back on me, he fumed. How dare he dismiss me like some kind of annoying bug? His hands clenched as his body tensed and then suddenly he crossed the magical chalk line and launched himself at Angel knocking him to the ground.  
  
"Riley!" Willow shouted dismayed by his disregard for Buffy's safety. She cringed at the thought of those two heavily muscled bodies falling on her sleeping friend.  
  
"I favor Angel," Xander said sitting on a bench by the table preparing to watch the spectacle. "Any takers for Riley?"  
  
"We can't just let them fight," Willow said an edge of panic entering her voice.  
  
"I'm not getting between those two, are you?" Xander asked patting the bench beside him. Willow shook her head and sat down next to him.  
  
Angel hit the ground with a thud his whole body protesting this added insult to injury. He managed to get his hands between his chest and Riley's and pushed the other man off of him. "I am willing to beat the crap out of you if that's what you really want," he huffed as he began another torturous journey to an upright position. "But we should at least move Buffy out of the way so that she doesn't get stepped on."  
  
Riley's red haze lifted slightly and he turned his glare away from his enemy towards Buffy. She was lying so peacefully in the center of the circle just inches from his own body. He had forgotten that she was there. He felt horror at his actions as he realized that he could easily have pushed Angel on top of her. And there was someplace he didn't want to go. Riley also pulled himself to his feet and said, "Fine, let's move her then." He turned towards Buffy and started to pick her up.  
  
"I'll do it," Angel said reaching Buffy at the same time. He reached out and tried to take her away from Riley.  
  
"I can manage," Riley retorted.  
  
Each of the opponents had one of Buffy's arms and they were both pulling at her trying to take her away from the other one. If she had been awake she would have clocked them both.  
  
"She's not a wishbone. The winner is not the one who ends up with the biggest piece," Xander said jumping up from his bench. "I'll move her."  
  
Angel, suddenly ashamed of himself, let go of Buffy's arm and stepped back. Xander was right. She was a human being not a piece of meat. Riley still held on to her for several seconds not even wanting to give her up to Xander. But eventually he responded to Xander's incensed glare and let go. Xander picked Buffy up and moved her out of harms way. Then he regained his seat on the bench.  
  
"Ear biting is strictly prohibited," Xander instructed as the two men began to circle each other. He had a silly grin on his face and was rubbing his hands in anticipation. He desperately wanted to see these two beat each other up. He didn't much care who the winner was since he didn't really like either one of them.  
  
"We really should stop them," Willow tried again. She was not as excited about the prospective blood letting as Xander seemed to be. "Maybe I could do a spell."  
  
"No, Willow," Giles said moving over to the table as well. He didn't want to be in the direct line of fire. "They both need this."  
  
"Buffy is going to be so mad," Cordelia said. She also moved away from the two combatants. She didn't want to get blood all over her new skirt.  
  
"Probably, but these two have been spoiling for a fight since Angel showed up. I don't think even she could stop them," Giles replied. Then he grimaced as Angel finally went on the offensive hitting Riley squarely in the nose. Blood spurted from his broken appendage and stained his shirt.  
  
Riley began to dance around Angel jabbing at him but never connecting. Angel was bobbing and weaving staying out of range of Riley's fists. Finally, Riley got tired of the game and moved closer to Angel throwing a powerful jab at his head. Angel's head rocked back with the force of the blow and he stood stock still in a bit of a shock.  
  
"How does your head feel now?" Riley taunted a satisfied grin spreading over his face. Unfortunately in his eagerness to have the last word he made a fatal mistake. He let his guard down.  
  
Angel struck out at Riley with a punishing jab of his own, hitting him in the jaw. "Probably a lot like yours," Angel answered with an evil smirk. Riley fell to the ground landing on his backside. He glared at Angel and then pushed himself up to face his opponent.   
  
Willow noticed the expression on Angel's face and shuddered. It reminded her too much of Angelus. She had to do something quickly before Riley was seriously injured.  
Once Riley was on his feet he began his dance again. He didn't strike out at his opponent but weaved and bobbed his way around Angel in an attempt to get under his guard. Angel turned in a circle following Riley's movements, waiting for him to make a move. Each step was torture though, so he desperately wanted this to end.  
  
"Are you scared?" Angel asked holding back a groan of pain.  
  
"Of you? No," Riley returned. He couldn't help but notice Angel's stiff movements and grimaces of pain. He knew that he had the advantage. It made him feel cocky.  
  
"You should be," Angel told him as he gave him a feral grin. Actually, Angel wasn't so sure that he could beat Riley. Not now, not after all he had been through to help Buffy. He wasn't going to back down though. This boy needed to be taught a lesson, and he was going to be the teacher.  
  
Riley just grinned back at Angel sure that he was going to win this confrontation. He needed to win this confrontation, for his own pride. He may lose the war, but he wanted the comfort of having won at least one battle. So with this in mind, Riley danced in closer to Angel and let lose a right hook aimed at Angel's chin.  
  
Suddenly Riley stumbled backwards and looked in astonishment at his bleeding right fist. "What the…?" he wondered as he turned his incredulous gaze towards Angel and the invisible barrier which had sprung up between him and his enemy.  
  
Angel, not really comprehending what had happened struck out with a fist of his own. He leaned in towards Riley and put all of his considerable, muscled body weight behind the punch hoping to knock out his competitor with one last punch. He was, therefore, very surprised when his fist hit an invisible barrier and he also stumbled backwards in the wake of the bone jarring impact.  
  
The two stood stock still for several seconds blinking their astonishment. They couldn't understand what had happened. By all rights one of them should be stretched out on the floor unconscious. Finally a lone voice snapped them out of their confusion. "Willow, what did you do?" Giles demanded.  
  
Every open eye in the room turned and stared at Willow. Two of the glances were especially hostile. They did not like having their righteous indignation interrupted. She tried to give them all an expression filled with innocence, but failed miserably.   
  
"Nothing," Willow responded still trying the innocent act.  
  
"Willow," Giles said his voice hardening in anger.  
  
A smile of pure satisfaction and mischief replaced Willow's feeble attempt at innocence. "I did a spell," she confessed terribly proud of herself. "To stop their stupid fight."  
  
"Willow," Giles said this time in exasperation. He knew that this would only delay the hostilities not halt them altogether.  
  
"They were being stupid, bullheaded, pigs," Willow explained trying to defend her actions.  
  
"No they were being men," Xander told her. He was disappointed in his friend. She had put a stop to his evening entertainment. And there wasn't much in the way of entertainment in Sunnydale.  
  
"My point exactly," Willow returned. "They were being stupid men." She turned and looked at Riley and Angel. "What do you think Buffy would have to say about this?" she asked them with a glare.  
  
Angel brought his hand up and rubbed his eyes trying to relieve the burning sensation that accompanied his tiredness. "She would tell us to stop fighting before she put us both in the hospital," he said remembering a time when she had uttered those exact same words.  
  
"Right," Willow said in triumph. She felt vindicated. She had done the right thing, no matter what anyone else had to say about it. "So if its something you wouldn't do while she was awake why should you do it when she is asleep?"  
  
"While the cats away," Cordelia said putting her nail file back into her purse. It looked like the boring fight was over and they could get back to the business of leaving. She still had that hair appointment tomorrow.  
  
Riley stood in the middle of the chalk circle his hands clenching and unclenching by his side. He knew in his head that Willow was right. Buffy would be extremely angry by his attack of Angel. But his head was being clouded by his emotions. He tried to tramp down his intense hatred and the jealousy that threatened to overwhelm him. He desperately wanted to throw just one more punch, but had a feeling that he would only succeed in hitting another invisible brick wall.  
  
Angel was also trying to rein in his seething emotions. He was jealous of Riley. He had gotten to spend 5 years with Buffy. Years that had been filled with love and sun light. Angel knew that Riley could never really be a threat to him, but he was still resentful of the other man and the time he had spent with Buffy.  
  
"Willow does have a point," Wesley said doing his best to diffuse the situation. At first he had been content to let the two idiots bash each other's brains in, but now he could see that this really wasn't the best time for that. "We should be concerned with getting Buffy home where she can rest comfortably. She has been through a lot these past few days."  
"What an excellent idea, Wesley. I am surprised no one else thought of that," Willow said her voice dripping with sarcasm.  
  
Riley and Angel both shifted their stances and looked away from each other in embarrassment. They had been fighting for the right to be with Buffy, but in doing so they had proven that neither one of them deserved her. "Let's get her home," Angel said turning his gaze towards Buffy. He indicated that Riley should be the one to carry her, since he didn't think his body was up to the challenge and then followed him out of the magic shop.  
Riley deposited his precious burden into Giles' car and then turned away from the car to speak with Joyce. "Please tell her that I will come and see her tomorrow," he said. He wanted to go with her and spend the night with her in his arms but his gut was telling him that he didn't have that right anymore. And he was ashamed. He was ashamed that he had let his baser feelings get to him. He was ashamed that he had gone back on his promise to Buffy.   
  
Angel bent into the car and lightly kissed Buffy on the forehead, his lips a tender apology for his broken promise. Then he helped Joyce into the back of the Gilesmobile and told her that he too would be by to see Buffy in the morning. There were some things that they had to discuss. He had high hopes that tomorrow would see the return of his happiness after all these years, but he didn't want to take anything for granted. Buffy could still pick Riley. He could still lose her. Then, on that depressing thought he turned and was swallowed up by the night his black duster floating out behind him.  
  
*****  
  
Buffy bolted upright and stared at her surroundings in confusion. She was surprised to see her old room at her mother's house. How did I get here? she wondered to herself. She couldn't understand it. She should be at the magic shop. Maybe it was a dream she hoped as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed.  
  
"A very long, painful dream," Buffy muttered out loud as she stood up from the bed. Her muscles ached and she had several bruises dotting her white skin. Buffy crossed the room and stood looking at herself in the mirror astounded by the picture she presented. She was still quite pale and her hair hung in stringy clumps. It was the worst case of bed head she had ever had. Actually, she looked like she had been seriously ill for weeks. But the sparkle was back in her eyes and she felt more awake than she had in the last few days.  
  
"Good you're awake," Joyce said entering the room. She had thought she heard her daughter moving around. "How do you feel, honey?"  
  
"Better, I guess," Buffy answered spinning around and facing her mom. "Mom, how did I get here?"  
  
"Giles brought you home after you defeated those awful monsters," Joyce told her.  
"Oh," Buffy said. "I guess it wasn't a dream after all." Events of these past few days were slowly coming back to her, although they were still a little fuzzy.  
  
Joyce came over and took her daughter in her arms giving her a tight squeeze. She had almost lost Buffy to these terrible creatures. She didn't know that she had ever been so scared in her entire life. Usually she begged Buffy for details of her life as the Slayer, but in the last few days she had gotten to see more than she wanted to. She vowed that she would never again ask Buffy about the details. She would rather live in ignorance of the danger her daughter was in.  
  
"Are you sure you are all right?" Joyce asked reluctantly letting go of Buffy.  
  
"I'm fine, Mom. Don't forget I've got super powers."  
  
"Well, are you hungry?"  
  
"I could eat a horse," Buffy assured her mother with a wide grin. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until her mom had mentioned it.  
  
"I don't know if we have any horses laying around but I think I could come up with some Belgian waffles," Joyce replied with a light laugh. It was so good to have her daughter around. She knew she had come close to losing her forever. "Why don't you get dressed while I make them."  
  
"Sounds like a plan," Buffy said and then shooed her mother out the door.   
  
"Oh, by the way, both Angel and Riley will be over to see you some time today," Joyce said stopping in the doorway to relay the messages that had been left with her. She almost laughed out loud at the pained expression that flitted across Buffy's pale face.  
  
"Both of them?" Buffy asked hoping that she hadn't heard her mother correctly. She wasn't sure she was well enough to cope with both of them.  
  
"Both of them," Joyce confirmed nodding her head. She leaned up against the door frame and surveyed her daughter. "Do you want me to tell them to come back tomorrow?"  
  
"No, I might as well get it over with," Buffy sighed. She was going to have to hurt someone today and she didn't look forward to it.  
  
"Buffy," Joyce began but was interrupted by Buffy putting up a hand and shaking her head.  
  
"I know you just want to help, Mom," Buffy said with a smile, "but I have to work through this myself."  
  
"I know," Joyce replied a little hurt that her daughter had rebuffed her words of wisdom, but she also understood it. Buffy was a grown up now and the circumstances had changed. Angel was human and Joyce had finally come to accept the fact that her daughter was never going to lead a normal life. "So waffles, right?"  
  
"Right," Buffy replied with a grateful smile. She was glad that her mother understood her need to keep her own council for now.   
  
Joyce nodded her head and left the room. Buffy grabbed a few essentials and then also left the room. She crossed to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Once the water was hot she climbed under the spray and just let the hot water wash away all the aches and pains she had acquired over the last few days, all the physical ones anyway. She knew there was nothing she could do about all the emotional knocks she had taken except try and forget them.  
  
Twenty minutes later Buffy was just tying the laces on her boots when there was a knock on the door. "I'll be right down, Mom," she called thinking it was her mom letting her know that breakfast was ready.  
  
"It's not your mom," Angel said as he opened the door and stepped into the room.  
  
"You stayed," Buffy said a smile spreading across her face. She knew that her mother had told her that he was coming to see her, but a part of her had been afraid that he would disappear again. His presence in her room brought with it a wealth of emotions. Blinding joy mixed with a searing doubt about their ability to move forward and forget the pain of the past. They had both changed so much; maybe they wouldn't be able to bridge the gap made by their five-year separation.  
  
"I came for you," Angel replied, "and I am not leaving unless you tell me that you don't want me in your life anymore." Angel wore a hopeful but wary expression. He had reason to hope, but he would also understand if she never wanted to see him again. He advanced into the room and stood looking down at the petite woman in front of him. The rush of emotions that swept through him when he looked at her always amazed Angel. A calm peacefulness entered his beleaguered soul pushing the darkness away. Centuries old guilt retreated into the far reaches of his mind, and his now beating heart thumped even harder with the love he felt for Buffy.  
  
"Are you feeling better?" Angel asked trying to fight the impulse to haul her into his arms and kiss her senseless.  
  
"Yes," Buffy replied. "It is amazing what a little sleep will do for you. How is your head?" Buffy reached up and touched his forehead smoothing the tiny frown lines that marred the surface of his skin.  
  
"Much better," Angel replied inhaling sharply. Her soft touch was driving him crazy. "Giles has a great remedy for curing the headaches associated with a bump on the head."  
  
Buffy's fingers tingled from their contact with Angel's heated skin. She loved the feel of his warm skin under her fingers. She continued to lightly caress his skin moving her fingers down the bridge of his nose and along his cheekbones. It was like she was discovering him all over again. Buffy moved her fingers again feathering them over his lips, which parted as he drew in a shaky breath. His lips were soft yet firm and slightly cool to the touch. She closed her eyes and recalled the sensations those lips had stirred in her. Suddenly her eyes flew open and she looked at him in shock. What am I doing? Hastily she snatched her fingers away from his mouth and stepped away from him.  
  
Angel nearly groaned out loud as her soft touch left him feeling bereft and lonely. He stared down into her flushed face, knowing that she was as affected as he was by her exploration. He noticed that her breathing was uneven and her eyes glittered with the passion they had for each other. At that moment he didn't care if she was going to reject him or not. He only cared about being as close to her as he could get. He closed the distance between them and held her face with both hands, his thumbs methodically caressing the sensitive skin by her ears. Angel drew in a deep breath trying to steady his racing heart and then lowered his head to take her waiting lips in a passionate, possessive kiss.  
  
Heat raced through Buffy's body as soon as Angel's lips touched her own. She sighed softly into his open mouth and pressed herself up against his lean, muscled body. She felt herself melting into him, surrendering to him as their passion took over. Buffy stopped thinking about the past and about the future and just let herself be carried away by the tide of emotions Angel's kiss was eliciting.  
  
Angel removed his hands from Buffy's face and wrapped his arms around her slender body pulling her closer to him. God, he had missed her, had missed this. He deepened the kiss feeling like he could never get enough of her. After five years apart he felt like he needed to make up for lost time.  
  
"Well I guess that answers my question," a tortured voice said finally breaking through the passion that had enslaved Angel and Buffy.  
  
Angel lifted his head and stared at the forlorn figure that stood just inside the entrance to Buffy's room. The passion that filled his soft brown eyes turned to annoyance and pity. Buffy began to struggle and he reluctantly let her go wincing as the cool air hit the spot where her warm body had been.  
  
"Riley," Buffy said softly moving towards him on hesitant feet. "I am so sorry." She hadn't wanted him to find out this way. She had wanted to tell him as gently as she could that she couldn't be with him. That kiss had just confirmed what she had known all along, she had to give her relationship with Angel another try, even if she ended up with a broken heart. There really couldn't ever be anyone else for her but him. So despite the pain in their past and the uncertainties of the future she had to be with Angel.  
  
"Are you?" Riley inquired tightly. The pain washed over him in huge waves dulling his senses so that he felt nothing but the pain. He had lost her. He wasn't really surprised because he knew deep down that he had never really had her. Not all of her anyway. There had been a part of her that she had kept hidden from him, a part of her that belonged to Angel.  
  
"Yes," Buffy replied stopping to stand in front of him. She took his arm and pulled his unresisting body into her room. She flinched when he shook off her hand and glared down at her. "I know it doesn't seem like it now, but I never wanted to hurt you."  
  
"You're right, it doesn't seem like it," Riley said letting his anger dictate his speech. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing the pain he was in.  
  
Buffy sighed and reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose feeling some of the tension of the last few days seeping into her suddenly weary bones. She turned to Angel and jerked her head in the direction of the open bedroom door. He stared at her intently for a few seconds and then gave her a slight nod. "I'll go tell your mom to hold breakfast," Angel told her. Then he exited the room and pulled the door shut behind him.  
  
"I don't really think there is anything else to say," Riley told Buffy as he stood in the middle of her bedroom staring malevolently at Buffy's closed door.  
  
"Isn't there?" Buffy asked gently. She knew that Riley was hurting and she was trying to be sensitive to his battered heart.  
  
Riley turned and looked at her his anger glowing in his green eyes. "No, there isn't. You have made your choice and have even handsomely apologized for crushing my heart, so forgive me if I happen to think that we're done here."  
  
Buffy couldn't remember a time when Riley had been so angry with her. Of course, she didn't really blame him. She had crushed his heart. "Well, you may be done here, but I'm not," she said looking him in the eye.  
  
"Oh, you have more pain to inflict?" Riley asked his voice like ice.   
  
"No, I…" Buffy's voice trailed off and then stopped completely as she realized that she had no idea what she wanted to say. It was true, she had already apologized, but that didn't seem like it was enough. They had spent 5 years together, and were going to get married. Surely, Riley deserved more than her feeble apology.  
  
"Well," Riley prompted as he shifted his stance to stand on his left foot while the right foot tapped a silent tattoo on her carpet. He folded his arms across his chest and glared at Buffy.  
  
Trying to give herself time to collect her thoughts Buffy stared up into the face of the man who had been her lover and friend for such a long time. They had been through a lot together. And she did love him, just not the way he deserved to be loved. "Riley," Buffy said trying again to put her feelings into words.  
  
"Yes?" Riley questioned his foot still tapping in impatience. He didn't know how much longer he could stand there looking down at her. He didn't know if he could take anymore pain.  
  
Buffy looked deeply into his eyes and saw the pain hidden behind the anger. Her own eyes started to tear up in response to his suffering. "I'm just so sorry," Buffy finally managed to say.  
  
"You said that already," Riley reminded her. When she just stared at him in return he heaved a sigh of annoyance and turned to leave the room.  
  
"Wait," Buffy called moving after him to detain his exit. "This is hard for me. I never thought I would have to do this."  
  
Riley turned back to her and stood waiting for her to continue. After a few seconds of silence he raised his eyebrows and half turned towards the door. He wasn't about to stand around all day while she struggled to find the nicest way to break his heart.  
  
"I never thought I would have to make a choice," Buffy finally said. "When Angel walked out of my life 5 years ago I never thought he would come back. I thought he had left for good. My head was telling me that it was for the best. I mean how could a vampire and a vampire Slayer have any kind of normal relationship. But my heart? My heart was broken. I never thought I would love again. Until you came along. I thought you were Joe Normal. I thought that I could finally have the normal life I had been craving."  
  
"But I wasn't Joe Normal so you pushed me away and have been ever since," Riley said.  
  
"Yes, I was upset when I found out you were Clark Kenting your way through life. I was trying to protect myself from being hurt. I couldn't stand the thought of having my heart broken again."  
  
"How could I have broken your heart when it was never really engaged?" Riley asked in frustration.  
  
"How can you say that?" Buffy wondered in disbelief.  
  
"Easily given the current situation," Riley returned.  
  
"Riley, I loved you very much. I still do."  
  
"Just not enough," Riley said bitterly.  
  
"No, you're right. I don't love you the way you deserve to be loved, but I do love you," Buffy told him looking him directly in the eyes so that he could see her sincerity.  
"But not like you love Angel."  
  
"No, not like I love Angel. I know you don't understand this, but Angel and I were meant to be together. I think from the moment he was made into a vampire we were destined to find each other," Buffy said her features softening as she thought about the man she loved.  
  
Riley gave an eloquent snort but didn't say anything when Buffy glared at him. "I know it sounds ridiculous considering the fact that Angel was sired over 200 years before I was even born. But think about it. He could have met his end anytime over those 200 years. Any number of Slayers could have killed him, or he could even have put an end to his own life after his soul had been returned. I am sure he felt guilty enough to kill himself. But he didn't. We were fated to love each other and I can't turn away from that. My heart won't let me."  
  
"Even if it means being sucked back into the uber evil?" Riley asked reminding her of the reason she had given for their breakup back so many years ago.  
  
"Even if it means being sucked back into the uber evil," Buffy confirmed. "Angel and I have had a tough past and the future may be rocky as well, but he is my soul mate. I can't let him walk out of my life again. I am only whole when I am with him."  
  
Riley broke their eye contact and turned away from Buffy. He didn't want her to see how much her last statement had hurt him. "I only hope he doesn't hurt you as much as you have hurt me today," Riley said.  
  
"Oh, Riley I am so sorry," Buffy cried. She felt so sorry for him, but she didn't know what else to say. She walked over to stand in front of him and stood on her tiptoes to place a chaste kiss on his cold lips.  
  
Riley jerked away from her body and looked at her finally letting her see the hurt and betrayal in his eyes before he stalked past her to exit her bedroom. He quietly closed the door and then made an equally quiet departure from the Summers' house.  
  
Five minutes later Angel entered the room to find Buffy, laying on her bed in the fetal position, crying. Without saying a word he gathered her in his arms and held her until the tears stopped.  
  
"I never meant to hurt him," Buffy said pulling away from Angel and wiping at the tears on her face.  
  
"Someday, when he has gotten over you, he will realize that," Angel told her as he settled himself more comfortably on the bed.  
  
"Would you ever get over me?" Buffy asked snuggling down next to Angel.  
  
"Never," Angel replied. He pulled her close to him and gave her another slow, passionate kiss.  
  
"So what now?" Buffy asked when she could speak again.  
  
"Waffles," Angel suggested.  
  
"That's not what I meant," Buffy said lightly punching his broad chest.  
  
"More kissing," Angel decided.  
  
"That's not what I meant either," Buffy said pulling back from his descending lips. "I mean where do we go from here?"   
  
"We're going to be together forever so it doesn't matter where we are," Angel replied before dipping his head to kiss her.   
  
"Angel, we have to take this seriously," Buffy stated impatiently. "Our future together is too important for you to joke about it."  
  
"Who said I was joking?" Angel asked. "Now come here and kiss me."  
  
Buffy struggled out of his hold and jumped off the bed to stand and glare at him. Her doubts about their future had returned and she needed him to convince her that they were going to be all right.  
  
Angel sighed and swung his legs around so that he was again sitting on the edge of the bed. "What is bothering you?" he asked finally realizing that she was indeed very serious.  
  
"I am worried," Buffy confided. "About us."  
  
"What about us?" Angel asked with a frown. Now he was worried.  
  
"I can't leave Sunnydale," Buffy told him.  
  
"So?" Angel was confused now. "What does that have to do with us?"  
  
"And you are needed in LA. How can we be together when we both have duties to protect the people of towns that are so far apart?" Buffy asked finally reveling her doubts. "After you moved to LA you told me that we didn't live in the same world anymore. You were right and now its five years later. What if we can't build a bridge to connect our two worlds together?"  
  
Angel understood her concerns but didn't really share them. Nothing was going to stand in the way of their future together. He moved to stand in front of her and then took her into his arms. "Do you hear my heart beating?" Angel asked her as he cradled her tightly in his arms. "I have waited so long to be human again but I will never be truly happy if you are not in my life. I will build that bridge. I promise you that I will do whatever it takes to bring our two worlds into one."  
  
"I can't ask you to leave your work in LA to join me here in Sunnydale," Buffy said still trying to work through her doubts. She was willing to risk her heart for love, but she was still scared. "But I love you too much to be away from you."  
  
"I have no intention of giving up my work in LA. The people there need me," Angel told her as he stroked her soft silky hair. "But I need you."  
  
"Do you really think we can do it? Do you really think we can find a compromise that will allow us to carry out our duties to the world and keep us together?" Buffy asked tilting her head back so that she could look into his eyes.  
  
"I do," Angel answered with conviction before lowering his head to give Buffy a kiss full of promise and love.   
  
Downstairs Joyce was impatiently waiting for Buffy and Angel to join her for breakfast. She was getting awfully hungry. Joyce raised her eyes to the ceiling and listened intently for any sounds that might indicate that the two reunited lovers would be joining her. When everything remained quiet she shrugged her shoulders in acceptance and reached for a rapidly cooling Belgian waffle. A smile played about her lips as she realized that a wedding would be taking place after all. And this time she knew her daughter would be very, very happy.  



	10. Epilogue

Note from Rain: My cousin Sunny wrote this fanfic, I'm just posting it for her because she cannot. Well, Here's the last chapter, I'll post the epilogue later this week. Please read and review, it'll keep my cousin partly sane.:) She's driving me crazy looking for new reviews!!  
  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the god of the Buffiverse. I just borrowed his children for some fun. All the characters in this story belong to him, except the evil ones who belong to Rain. Thanks Rain for letting me play with them.  
  
Note2:  
Well here it is...what we've all been waiting for....  
  
  
  
Epilogue  
  
Buffy snuggled down next to Angel laying her head on his chest, simply amazed by the sound of his heart beating. Her hand began a lazy caressing journey over his heated skin as she heaved a gigantic sigh of contentment.  
  
"Are you happy?" Angel asked while his hand stroked her fair hair away from her face.  
  
"Deliriously so," Buffy answered. She tipped her head back and gave him a glorious smile. "You?"  
  
"I have never been happier," Angel answered. He tilted his own head down and brushed her forehead with his lips. He was still finding it hard to believe that Buffy was his, now and forever. They had been married for almost a week now, but he still had the urge to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.  
  
"Good," Buffy said her voice husky with her desire for the man lying next to her. She snuggled even closer to him bringing her naked body into closer contact with his.  
  
Angel, very aware of what she was doing, gave a sexy moan of pleasure as his hand started to wander over her soft flesh. "Are you enjoying our honeymoon? I know it's not the Bahamas."  
  
"It doesn't matter where I am as long as I am with you," Buffy told him a little breathlessly. His wandering hands were starting to do their magic.  
  
"Even if we were searching the sewers of Sunnydale looking for the elusive, yet deadly demon that is intent upon ending the world?" Angel asked.  
  
"The sewers of Sunnydale can be very romantic," Buffy replied moving her hand slowly down his chest until it disappeared under the covers. She smiled a smile of pure satisfaction as the muscles of his abdomen quivered under her touch.  
  
"True, but not a very good place to do this," Angel stated lowering his head to take her lips in a passionate, yet tender kiss.  
  
"We could kiss in the sewer," Buffy pointed out when she was finally allowed to come up for air.  
  
Angel lifted his head from where his lips had been nuzzling the sensitive skin of her shoulder and looked at her. A wolfish grin spread across his face and a devilish glint appeared in his eyes. "But we couldn't do this," Angel told her as he again dipped his head to kiss another sensitive part of her body. His lips were just about to close over her heated flesh when a shrill beeping noise stilled his movement.  
  
"Ignore it," Buffy instructed wrapping both of her arms around him in an attempt to keep him from leaving her side.  
  
"Since they haven't contacted us before now it must be important," Angel said reluctantly rolling away from Buffy. He switched on the bedside lamp and then reached for his beeper.  
  
"Wesley?" Buffy asked swallowing her disappointment at the interruption in their honeymoon. Deep down she knew Angel was right. Both Wesley and Giles had promised them that they would only contact them if it were an emergency.  
  
"No, Cordelia," Angel said as he got up to search for his cell phone. He finally found it in the bottom of his suitcase where he had thrown it on their first night in the honeymoon suite. He flipped it open and quickly dialed Cordelia's number in LA.  
  
Buffy watched him intently while he was talking to Cordelia. Her eyes devoured his muscular form, as he stood highlighted by the lamp on the bedside table. She still couldn't believe that he was human. Every time she heard his heart beat her own heart filled with love and happiness. She had dreamed about this so often, but had never thought it would actually come true. But it had, and because of his humanity they could now live together as man and wife.  
  
Angel flipped the phone closed and turned to Buffy rubbing the bridge of his nose. He caught her staring at his naked body and cursed the PTB for their untimely interruption.  
  
"You have to go," Buffy stated knowing and accepting that their duty to protect the innocents of the world came before everything else.  
  
Angel nodded and gave her an apologetic smile. He certainly hadn't wanted duty to put a stop to their retreat from the real world. He had been perfectly willing to wallow in this separate time and place, pretending that they were two normal humans on their honeymoon. "Cordelia had a vision about…"Angel started to explain but was interrupted by another shrill beeping noise. He turned and started to get dressed while Buffy answered her page.  
  
"It was Giles," Buffy said getting out of bed to pull some clothes out of the closet. It was the first time she would be wearing anything other than a robe since they had arrived at this beautiful hotel by the beach.  
  
"I know," Angel said his words slightly muffled as he pulled his shirt over his head.  
  
Buffy turned to look at him. "What?" she questioned as she pulled on a pair of gray drawstring pants.  
  
"I said I know," Angel repeated. "And I know why. Cordelia had a vision about the elusive, yet deadly demon that is in Sunnydale to bring about the end of the world."  
  
"Great!" Buffy said enthusiastically. Then she caught Angel's frown and hurried to qualify her statement. "I meant because we will be working together."  
  
Angel gave her an intimate smile before he turned away to look for his boots. He knew that they should be in the room somewhere, but for the life of him he could not remember where they had ended up. "So what did Giles have to say about this demon?"  
  
"Didn't Cordelia fill you in?" Buffy asked as she began a search for her own shoes.  
  
"Not really. She didn't see much in her vision. Just a demon in Sunnydale with an apocalyptic plan," Angel told her. He finally spotted his boots protruding from underneath the bedspread and bent over to retrieve them.  
  
"Giles didn't have a lot of information either but I thought I heard him mumble something about the Hellmouth," Buffy said sitting on the bed to put her tennis shoes on. Then she crossed the suite heading for the bathroom. She flipped on the light, searched for her hairbrush, and then put her hair up into a functional ponytail.  
  
Angel groaned. He still had nightmares about the last time they had battled to keep the Hellmouth creature from escaping its otherworldly home. "Sounds like fun," Angel said sarcasm plainly evident in his voice.  
  
"Definitely more fun than spending the rest of our honeymoon in bed," Buffy agreed emerging from the bathroom. "You ready?"  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be," Angel said holding out his hand.  
  
Buffy took his outstretched hand and they walked together towards the door. "Well, it was nice while it lasted," Buffy said closing the door of their hotel room behind her.  
  
"What was?" Angel asked as they made their way down the hallway to the elevator.  
  
"Pretending to be two normal people on their honeymoon," Buffy replied. The elevator doors slid open and they entered the empty car still holding hands.  
  
"It was nice," Angel agreed. "But we will never be normal. And I am fine with that."  
  
"You are?"  
  
"Of course. I have you and that is all I need," Angel said taking her into his arms to give her a tender kiss. "Besides normal is boring."  
  
Buffy smiled up at Angel glad that he had come back into her life. He was right. They were not normal. They had a sacred duty and that was more important than being normal.   
"God forbid that we should ever be boring," Buffy said sarcastically as they stepped out into the sunshine of a beautiful California afternoon.  
  
"Exactly," Angel agreed. "If we got bored that would mean we had defeated all the evil in the world and then where would we be?"  
  
"Unemployed," Buffy answered.  
  
"And who would hire two slightly used superheros?" Angel asked. Then noticing Buffy's raised eyebrows he amended his statement. "Sorry make that one slightly used superhero and one antique superhero."  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes, but otherwise she ignored his comment. "You're right we will never be normal. But as long as we have each other and the chance to grow old and boring than I am fine with it too. Now lets go show that demon that he is messing with the wrong town."   
  
The valet pulled up in Angel's car and got out so that Angel could take his place behind the wheel. Buffy got in the passenger side and buckled her seat belt. "So it's off to work we go, right?" Angel asked as he shifted gears and pulled away from the hotel.  
  
"Heigh ho," Buffy said and then laughed. It felt so wonderful to be laughing with the man who sat beside her. It felt so right. Life was finally good. She had a job that while she didn't exactly love it, she at least felt useful and fulfilled by it. She had a husband that she loved and who loved her in return. And someday, if she lived long enough, she wanted to have a family with Angel. Buffy looked over at Angel and gave him a wide smile. Maybe, just maybe her life was normal after all.   
  
  
THE END  
  



End file.
